A Forsaken Arising
by Rae Carson
Summary: COMPLETE! Part II 7th Year. AU. When Harry defeated Voldemort, he made a lot of enemies. How can he possibly handle a most dastardly act of revenge that carries dire consequences? NOT A CROSSOVER. VERY different twist on Harry Potter.
1. Once Bitten

**_Dear Readers,_**

**_We're back! Back with the sequel to "The Prophecy Renewed", Part II of the Pegasus Patronus Series. We certainly hope you will love the second installment. I guarantee it'll be far darker, far more exciting, far more angsty than the 1st story. As always, enjoy!_**

**_Love,_**

**_Rae Carson & DJ Vivian_**

**_P.S. Don't forget to look for Part III_**

**_The Pegasus Patronus Series is as follows:  
_**

**_The Prophecy Renewed  
_****_A Forsaken Arising  
_****_Potter's Stolen Scion_**

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE:**

**ONCE BITTEN****  
**

The rest of the summer went by much more quickly than Harry had anticipated. On one hand, he was genuinely glad to begin his final year of school. On the other hand, it did sadden him a bit at the thought of never returning to Hogwarts again. He was extremely relieved about one major thing; at least he didn't have to face Voldemort this year. He could finally have a real school year and focus on school work.

Harry awoke early to Ron's snorts; he groped blindly in the darkness for his glasses. Suddenly remembering he was now seventeen he grabbed his wand off the nightstand and muttered, "Accio glasses." He felt them drop into his right hand and then put them on.

He had spent the past month at the Burrow. After the incident with Voldemort, the Weasleys had practically insisted that Harry stay with them for the remainder of the summer.

Mrs. Weasley had also asked Madam Adonna if it was okay for Shantiel to stay the week before the teenagers had to go back to school. Adonna, of course, agreed to let her new adopted daughter stay over.

It pleased Harry to see how happy the blonde girl was with the healer. It was Madam Adonna's ultimate gift to Shantiel to make their small family official. To Harry, the two of them were so alike in many ways already and truly seemed like mother and daughter.

Harry wasn't at all surprised by how quickly the girl adjusted to her new surroundings. Shan was just as willing to leave the hellish home-life with the Biggs as he was to leave the Dursleys.

The better part of her summer was spent training her powers and doing her holiday schoolwork while still awaiting her results of her O.W.L.s. Harry was quite certain she would do as well if not almost as well as Hermione had. Shantiel arrived at the Weasleys early the previous evening.

Their relationship was still going strong despite the distance. Ron and Hermione were close too. This year would be the trio's last year at Hogwarts and with Voldemort finally destroyed, Harry could have fun as Quidditch captain.

Harry discovered that Dumbledore had made Neville Longbottom Head Boy as a birthday surprise, and Neville's grandmother was undoubtedly pleased. Harry secretly hoped the woman would be bragging up her grandson to anybody who would listen. It was high time Neville's grandmother bragged about him. Hermione was made Head Girl; Ron made the mistake by accidentally letting Hermione overhear him complaining about it.

"You know, with her being Head Girl, she's not going to let anyone have fun this year," Ron had said. Hermione just happened to walk by his slightly cracked door and heard this. She wound up telling him off for fifteen minutes.

Despite Ron's protests, everyone had awoken, got ready to go, and eaten their breakfast.

After stopping at Gringott's Bank, Mrs. Weasley and everybody else made the requisite stops along the way. It seemed as if nearly all the shops in Diagon Alley were stopped at, as at least one person in each group had to make a purchase. Since all the students in their group were in the upper classes at Hogwarts, it felt to Harry as if they bought out half of Flourish and Blott's book shop. The street was positively teeming with people and it was difficult for the group to stay together. Harry remembered he needed a new wand, since his old one was damaged in the fire. That required a walk clear to the end of Diagon Alley opposite from The Leaky Cauldron.

Mr. Ollivander's eyes lit up as he watched Harry walk into his shop. "Ah, back again, Mr. Potter? As I recall, you were a most tricky customer last time you were here. Very tricky, indeed—holly wand, Phoenix tail feather, 11 ½ inches."

Once again, Harry felt slightly creeped-out by the old man despite the faint smile on his lips. Picking out a wand didn't take nearly as long as it did the first time. While Harry was extremely grateful he didn't have to stand there and try out nearly every wand in the shop, Ollivander looked slightly crestfallen as he charged Harry for his new 12-inch redwood wand, with a unicorn stallion hair core.

Harry and everybody else left the shop in a hurry, as they wanted to back-track and spend some time in Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Harry wanted to put his new wand in his pocket, and as he began rummaging around in his bag, he started lagging behind the rest of the group.

Suddenly, as he was walking passed Knockturn Alley, Harry found himself shoved down to the ground. He dropped his belongings and began fighting for his life. The thing flew out of the shadows and bit him hard on the neck. Weirdly, Harry felt his strength waning extremely fast as if he had been tranquilized. He began calling out for help but it seemed that all the people in the crowd were frightened and instead of helping him, they backed further away.

"Sectumsempra!" called a distant voice.

A whimper escaped the creature that attacked Harry and it melted away into the shadows from where it came.

"Potter?" It was Severus Snape, who was now standing over Harry. "Potter, are you all right?" Harry's consciousness was ebbing quickly and he was unable to form much of a response. "Potter?" There was blood everywhere.

"Yeah, yeah…I'll…be…just…" his sentence faded off and he passed out.

* * *

The next thing Harry knew, he had woken up in a hospital bed at St. Mungo's. "It really seems as if I'm going to have to keep a room on reserve here," he quipped. Although he kept things light-hearted, he was still worried.

"There's no easy way to say this, Harry," said Madam Adonna, "but the thing that attacked you in Diagon Alley was a vampire."

It turns out that Snape had found Mrs. Weasley and the rest of Harry's friends upon exiting Knockturn Alley. Molly and company would never forgive themselves for leaving Harry behind, even though they'd deduced his separation from them was a complete accident. Harry didn't fault them one bit.

"You lost a large amount of blood which we were fortunately able to replace before it caused too much damage," Adonna continued. "Take it easy for a day or so. Vampirism is transferred via virus and it's not self-replicating in the first stages. That's why it generally takes three or four bites from vampires before a human is transformed. Luckily, there's not nearly enough in your system for you to become a full vampire. However, the virus is extremely difficult to kill. You might be a bit sensitive to sunlight but that's about it. Oh, and try to make sure you don't get bitten again, hmm?"

Harry sheepishly said, "Okay," and left the hospital with Shantiel, Molly, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione.


	2. Twice the Victim

**CHAPTER TWO:**

**TWICE THE VICTIM**

Mrs. Weasley led the way through the bustling train station towards the barrier to Platform 9 ¾. After what had happened the week before with Harry's attack she was now extra cautious of the group being separated again. The day had dawned dark and rainy, so it made wanting to huddle up a bit easier.

One by one they all entered through the barrier to board the scarlet engine waiting on the other side. Harry saw Neville's grandmother gushing over him and straightening his Head Boy badge while beaming proudly at her grandson.

"Your parents would be so proud of you…" Harry heard her say to him as he passed them. After getting settled in a compartment, they returned to the Weasleys where Neville's grandmother was talking to them.

Arthur looked over at the others and smiled, "Everyone settled?" They all nodded as Molly started her round of hugs.

"Have a good term, all of you," Molly said after hugging Harry, smiling proudly at all of them. They boarded the train just as the warning whistle blew. Hermione headed off with Neville and Ron up towards the front of the train.

Harry sat next to Shan by the window. He always knew once Voldemort had been defeated he would still have enemies. Harry supposed the Death Eaters were foremost among them, but it never crossed his mind what other creatures might have supported Voldemort. It still unnerved Harry that a vampire had attacked him. He felt his neck where the thing bit him last week. Did that vampire have a reason for choosing him, or was he just another random victim?

"Are you all right?" Shantiel's soft voice broke Harry's musings.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

She smiled at him and took his hand in hers. "If there's anything you wish to talk about, you just let me know, okay?"

Harry smiled back and replied, "Okay."

After he was finished with his Prefect duties, Ron came back to their compartment. Unfortunately, the Head Boy and Head Girl's responsibilities were such that they couldn't be in any other compartment except for the one at the head of the train, so Harry and Shantiel hardly saw Neville and Hermione for the rest of their train ride. The sweets trolley made its first round and everyone was enjoying their treats.

Everybody in Harry's compartment was deep into a game of Exploding Snap when the train suddenly jolted, throwing everybody and their belongings against the front of the compartment.

"What on earth is going on?" shouted Shantiel.

"I think the engineer hit the brakes!" Ginny yelled over the squealing. "I think that means he's seen something on the tracks!" They held on for dear life as the train squealed to a halt.

"Blimey, I hope we're not going to hit anything!" said Ron. There was a slight jarring sensation and then…nothing. It had taken quite awhile, but the train had come to a complete stop. They could hear the students in other compartments talking and picking up their belongings when _CRASH!,_ the window next to Harry shattered. Shantiel watched in horror as he was dragged kicking and screaming out of the broken opening.

"Harry!" cried Shan. Everybody else in the compartment stood and stared in shock at the gaping hole in the window. Rain poured inside. Shantiel went to follow Harry out but Ron wisely held her back.

"We can't just let that thing take him!" she yelled.

"We can't just go out there and follow him either!" Ron protested, there might be more of them out there!" Shantiel hated to admit it, but Ron had a point.

* * *

Adonna was near the front of the train when the emergency brakes were applied. The engineer told her he saw three people on the tracks and he swore he'd collided ran them over. And no, he didn't know why they hadn't moved when he blew the train's whistle. The healer instructed the engineer to stay where he was and said that she'd inspect the tracks. She wasn't looking forward to going out in the lightning and rain, but determined what must be done should be done. There was no sign of a collision with anybody or anything on the scarlet engine. She looked underneath and by the wheels, but again, there was nothing.

She was about to go back inside the train and tell the engineer to keep going when she heard the distant sound of glass shattering. Immediately afterward, screams followed. Adonna ran in the direction of the commotion and was horrified to discover that it was not only Shantiel's compartment that was broken into, but that Harry had been abducted. After fixing the broken window with a _Reparo_ spell, she went in search of the young man.

Shortly after beginning her search, she realized she should probably call for reinforcements if she was dealing with three people who wanted to take Harry. Clearly, forcing the train to stop was no accident. She cast her Patronus into the sky, sending Dumbledore a message that Harry was missing and to please meet her at the train. Less than five minutes had passed when the headmaster appeared, along with several other Hogwarts staff.

They secured the train, doing the best they could to make sure none of the antagonists could get back inside. The professors began canvassing the countryside. Not long into the search, McGonagall shouted that she had seen something and the other staff came running.

Harry lay sprawled lifelessly underneath a tree. His clothes were soaked and he was paler than moonlight. Blood was seeping out wounds in his neck once more.

"It looks like we're dealing with vampires again," Adonna said. "And rest assured, this was no random attack," she said grimly. "Snape, help me get him back to Hogwarts. The train is no place for him right now."

* * *

Later, Dumbledore met Adonna in the hospital wing.

"How is he?" he asked.

"He was nearly drained of blood this time but he'll live, thanks to magic and potions," answered Adonna. "However, I don't think it's the vampires' intention to kill him."

"Nor do I," the headmaster agreed.

"This second attack, these vampires—or whoever hired them—clearly meant to send a message. Somebody is not happy with Harry Potter and they wish to give him a fate worse than death by turning him into a vampire."

Adonna's words hung in the air as she and Dumbledore exchanged an ominous look. They knew that Harry had gained many enemies once word got out that Voldemort had been destroyed. Were these vampires working on their own or were they hired? Was there any way to stop their relentless pursuit of Harry?

* * *

"You are such an idiot, Apollo," seethed Pandora. "We don't need to risk exposure of the clan by taking more victims. It's bad enough you attacked Potter during daylight hours in Diagon Alley."

"How dare you call me idiot!" Apollo raged. He absent-mindedly rubbed the scar across his face where Snape's spell had hit him. "You're the one who suggested we attack the Hogwarts Express in the middle of the day!"

"In cloaks when it's _dark and rainy,_ Apollo," emphasized Pandora, as if she were speaking to someone particularly slow in the head. "And we got off scot-free. Nobody saw us up close and we managed to get Potter once more before he goes to that cursed school of his. Once he's there, it'll be a hundred times more difficult to get at him."

"Why are we doing this, anyway?" Epimetheus asked.

"For the hundredth time, you moron, we are getting back at Potter for destroying the Dark Lord. Do you not remember what he promised Zeus? Zeus was to be his right-hand man, and I was finally to ascend to power as leader of the vampires, and everything at the Crimson Palace," spat Pandora. She was clearly not happy.

"Oh. Yes," replied Epimetheus. "But how were you going to become leader with Zeus still around?"

Apollo rolled his eyes, just as tired with Epimetheus's slowness as Pandora was. "Because you and I were going to help her assassinate him during the confusion of the war. A war which never came, I might add. And that is all thanks to Potter."  
"So that is why I took him off the train today, right?"

"Yes, Epimetheus."

Then Apollo whirled to Pandora saying, "You can't blame me for wanting to sink my teeth into the necks of those young ones. Such sweet blood—and there were hundreds of them, ripe for the plucking."

"Yes, I _can_ blame you. You need to be patient, Apollo…and not be so bloodthirsty. I promise you, there will be a war. Once the human's hero has been turned, they will be very angry and want to fight us. Then, at last, victory will be ours—for not only will we win, but the greatest among them will have become one of our own," Pandora smiled wickedly. "And there's no turning back after that."


	3. Divergence

**CHAPTER THREE:**

**DIVERGENCE  
**

As usual, Harry Potter missed the Sorting ceremony for the first years. The news of his getting bitten by a vampire the first time had already spread like wildfire. There wasn't a wizarding household anywhere that didn't know. Rumor about the second attack, via the Hogwarts Express no less, had spread through the train even faster. Of course, the first thing Shantiel and her friends had done after getting to Hogwarts was to go immediately to the hospital wing in search of Harry and his condition. They hadn't been told hardly anything and quite frankly, since Harry never returned after being taken from the train, they were worried sick.

The first thing Adonna did was assure them that he would survive, and that no, he wasn't a vampire. Just how many vampiric tendencies he had now remained to be seen. However, he had yet to regain consciousness.

The second attack on Harry had cast a pall over the otherwise giddy welcoming feast. It was as if some people were trying to cover for the fact that despite Voldemort's being gone, very dangerous creatures still existed and could attack at any moment.

Shantiel and company didn't feel much like eating, knowing their friend was suffering from another attack in the hospital wing. Everybody except Ron, of course, who was busy piling potatoes high on his plate.

"It seems there were a lot more Slytherins this year," observed Hermione, who had half-heartedly watched the ceremony.

"Oh, lovely, and in seven years, they'll have taken over this bloody school and then the whole wizarding world will—"

Hermione shooshed him before he could go further. "Hush, Ron! There's no need to be rude about an observation!"

The conversation was, of course, largely a farce. It just seemed everybody at the Gryffindor table was more affected than the others, and especially Harry's friends. They were simply avoiding the subject foremost in their minds.

Dumbledore had tried his best to dispel their gloom with a particularly upbeat welcoming speech. He also announced that Snape was no longer the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher since Slughorn had retired again. The old potions professor turned over the job to his colleague. At the head table, Severus didn't seem too happy about it. But when did Snape seem happy about anything?

For the first time since the feast began, Shantiel said something. "Isn't it odd that despite Voldemort being gone, it's as if the curse over the DADA teacher position is continuing?"

"What do you mean, Shan?" asked Ginny.

"Well, you told me last year about how the school couldn't seem to keep a Dark Arts Defense teacher for more than a year at a time. That happened again this year."

"True," said Hermione, "but it wasn't because of anything drastic. Professors quit and are hired all the time. Or in Slughorn's case, rehired. He was pretty old."

"You're right," Shantiel answered. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm glad that Madam Adonna is the new DADA teacher." Ginny smiled and the rest of them were at least able to mirror the emotion to some extent.

"It's just a shame Harry wasn't here to help us welcome her to her new teaching position," said Shantiel.

* * *

The next day, Shantiel went to her first class of the day with Ginny. They were both rather excited as it was Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"I wonder what we'll learn today," said Ginny, "do you have any ideas?"

"None whatsoever. I spent the last week of summer holiday with you, not Adonna, remember?" Shan replied.

The rest of the students filed into the classroom, curious as to what they were going to learn. Most of them hoped that since it was the first day of classes, they could get out of doing a lesson. Madam Adonna afforded them no such luck, however.

"Since this is boarding school and you already know each other, and all of you know who I am, there is no need to play "getting to know you" activities. Therefore, we shall begin immediately with the lesson."

"Is Harry Potter a vampire now?"

The question was shouted out from the back row, and everybody in the room tensed with nervousness. A boy named Trent McKay was shooshed by several of his classmates, but they looked up at Adonna with curiosity. They knew she worked in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey as well as being a teacher. How would the professor answer?

"I can see we need to dispense with the lesson I've prepared in order to make room for an impromptu one. Indeed, vampires are dark creatures so teaching you about them fits right in with the curriculum. To answer your question, Trent, Harry Potter is not a vampire. It requires at least three bites in quick succession in order to transfigure a human. Harry has not been bitten that many times."

"Not yet, anyway," mumbled another student.

"Hogwarts is one of the most well-protected fortresses ever built. Harry is safer here than just about anywhere else. As long as he doesn't do anything foolish, he'll be fine—and so will _you_," Adonna added pointedly, trying to dispel the fear felt by many of the students.

"So he's okay, then, right?" Shantiel asked shyly.

"Yes, Shantiel," answered Adonna, "he'll be just fine." Shantiel could sense there was more to be said about Harry's condition, but the healer's look let her know that in the middle of class was not the place to discuss it.

"Do vampires go it alone, or are they in groups?" asked one girl.

"Some of them do hunt alone," explained Adonna, "but many of them hunt in groups of two to five. These groups are what makes up the clan, or coven, of vampires."

"How big is a coven?" Ginny asked.

"Most of them aren't larger than about thirty or forty."

"I heard a rumor," began one boy, "that there's a coven in the Dark Forest that has more than 200 vampires."

An ominous feeling swept through the classroom. _Two_ _hundred_? That was a lot of vampires.

"Rumors about all sorts of things exist," said Adonna, "and many of them aren't true. Just be careful about which ones you choose to believe."

* * *

During lunchtime that day, Shantiel went to go visit Harry in the hospital wing. She could see from one end of the ward that he was awake. Before she and her friends could take more than a few steps into the ward, they were whisked into a room by Madam Pomfrey. She said, "Madam Adonna will be here to speak with you shortly."

The healer walked into her office a couple of minutes later and greeted them. "Hello, everybody. I trust you're wondering why you were led into this room?" They all nodded.

"The reason why is this: Harry is somewhat different now. I have no doubt in my mind it is due to the amount of the vampiric virus that now runs through is system. As far as I'm aware, there aren't any drastic changes that he's undergone, but he's a bit edgier than we're used to him being. He'll have to stay covered when in direct sunlight. I'm telling you all these things not to worry you but so you're prepared. Pomfrey and I would also like you to observe Harry and tell us of any changes you notice about his habits and behavior. A lot of rumors have been flying around about him, and I figured it was fair that you four, at least, knew the full truth."

"Well, it's not as if we haven't dealt with nasty rumors about Harry in the past," Hermione answered dryly.

Adonna smiled, "That's a fair point. Would you like to go and visit him now? He's still a bit weak, but he'll be able to start going to classes tomorrow. At least for a half day."

They followed her out of her office and each greeted Harry.

"How's it going, mate?" Ron asked.

"Dull and boring," Harry answered gloomily.

"Don't tell me you'd rather be in class?" asked Hermione dryly.

"Oh no, not that!" Harry exclaimed in mock-horror, as everybody giggled.

"Are you feeling okay?" Shantiel inquired.

"Yeah, a bit on the weak side," said Harry as he felt the bandage on his neck. "Plus it looks like I'll have a couple of new scars to match the old one. Just what I needed."

Shantiel smiled, "I don't know, I think they'd look rather dashing."

"Do you?"

"Yes…they tell a story that you've survived yet another ordeal."

"You know, I never thought of it that way. Thanks, Shan," he said as she leaned down and kissed him.

Ron rolled his eyes, "Oi, there's an audience present. Do we have to watch?"

"If you don't like it," Ginny replied, "then all you have to do is turn away."

"Fine," he said, sticking out his tongue like a primary schooler. He folded his arms and whipped around.

Hermione sighed, "It's time for us to go back to class anyway. See you later, Harry." They all bade him goodbye and left the hospital wing.

* * *

The Great Hall was full for breakfast when Harry arrived. He had Hermione configure his glasses into tinted ones since his eyes had become so sensitive to light. People stared at him and whispered since he walked by with his hood up. He sat next to Ron once at the Gryffindor table.

"Good morning, guys," Harry said, helping himself to some biscuits and sausages. "Morning, Shan," he said as he leaned over and kissed Shantiel's cheek.

"Morning, Harry," Shan said, smiling and looking over her book. She was happy to see him, yet went right back to her studying.

"I see that Hermione has finally cloned herself," Ron said, helping himself to the sausages. Hermione sat across from Shantiel, mirroring her position. "I never thought it would be possible."

"What's even more impossible is the fact that she is your girlfriend," Seamus joked, causing Ron to turn Weasley red before joining in with the laughter.

"Now don't be too hard on him, he was going to get it eventually," Ginny said as she tried to suppress a laugh.

"That's nothing," Shantiel said, setting her book down next to her, "It took Harry so long that I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to get the point. I would have gone with someone else to Slughorn's party, if a certain someone would have gotten up the nerve to ask me," she said in a singsong voice. Harry then took her hand and stared deeply into her eyes.

"Shan, darling?" Harry said in a mockingly sweet tone.

"Yes, Harry, dear?" She smiled and replied in the same sweet tone.

"It would be an honor if you would pass me the potatoes," he said. Shantiel laughed.

"Harry, it would be my pleasure to pass you the potatoes," she said as she handed him the bowl sitting next to her.

"Thank you so much," he said as he took the bowl from her.

"You are so welcome," Shantiel said.

"At least both of you boys aren't as dense as Pansy Parkinson is," Ginny said.

"It's true," Shantiel said. "I heard Draco had to ask Pansy Parkinson three times to go to that Yule Ball with him."

Ron laughed, "I could just see it," he said. "Do-you-want-to-go-to-the-ball-with-me?" he said in a mockingly slow voice. The entire Gryffindor table burst out with laughter.

"What, Draco? Did you say something, I didn't quite hear you," Seamus said in a mockingly shrill voice. Apparently, Draco had heard them because he was heading in their direction. Harry's lips curled as Draco approached closer to the table.

"What's he doing back at this school?" Harry asked angrily. "I suppose it doesn't matter now. Looks like somebody wants to come over and play," he said.

Harry stood up and Ron started to join him. Harry looked at him and shook his head. He wanted to deal with Malfoy on his own this time. Ron slowly sat back down. Everyone turned to watch the two boys. Malfoy stopped inches in front of Harry.

"What's so funny, Potty?" he said, his gray eyes flickering. "Did Weasel actually do something slightly intelligible?" he said, sneering. Harry moved close enough to Malfoy that their noses were inches away.

"You think that just because your daddy's rich and can buy you anything you want, that it gives you a right to be a deplorable prat to everyone. Well, let me remind you, your _daddy_ went to _Azkaban!_" Harry said coldly. Immediately, a hush fell over the entire Great Hall. Harry had evidently had enough of putting up with Draco Malfoy, six years of memories of taunting and trouble boiled beneath the surface. Draco's hand moved for his wand.

"How dare you talk about my father that way, Potter," Malfoy said in a deadly voice.

Shantiel sensed the level of danger the situation had come to and she walked up behind Harry, touching his arm.

"Harry don't…" she said softly pleading with him.

"Don't talk to me," Harry said coldly as he continued his staring contest with the Slytherin blonde.

"Maybe you should listen to your filthy little half-blooded girlfriend," Malfoy said icily. That was what broke Harry's façade. As he went for his wand he heard Dumbledore's voice speaking from behind him.

"Boys, what seems to be the problem here?" he asked calmly.

"Nothing," Harry said shortly, still glaring at Malfoy, his ears pounding.

"Nothing," Malfoy said through gritted teeth.

"It doesn't seem like nothing," Dumbledore said, still very calm, peering down at the boys over his half-moon spectacles. "I suggest that both of you gentlemen shake hands and leave it at that."

Both boys continued to glare coldly at one another before slowly taking the other's hand. Everyone in the hall watched the two in a tense silence holding their breath. Neville watched through his fingers.

Each appeared to be trying to break the other's hand. Time seemed to freeze. After half a minute had passed Harry and Draco quickly let go as though they had touched something burning or had gotten shocked. A sigh of relief erupted through the hall and people resumed talking, gossiping, and eating.

Dumbledore still watched the boys, "Next time you have a disagreement keep it outside of the Great Hall. Do I make myself clear?"

Still glaring at Draco, Harry said, "Crystal."

"Perfectly," Draco said coldly.

Happy to get away from Draco, Harry walked back to the Gryffindor table but he felt horrible for snapping at Shantiel. After all, she was only trying to help him. She hugged him and smiled in her usual understanding way. As they pulled away he took her hands in his.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," Harry said apologetically. "It wasn't right of me to do that. You were just trying to calm me down."

"It's okay," Shantiel said. "I understand Draco made you mad. I know you didn't mean to."

"Thanks for understanding," he said, giving her another hug. "It wasn't me talking, it was the mad talking," he added jokingly. She laughed.

"You know, without me, you'd be a lot angrier," Shantiel said sternly. Harry laughed and held her tighter.

"Yes, I know," he said.

"If you two don't mind, I am trying to eat here," Seamus said. Harry turned and sarcastically stuck his tongue out at Seamus and continued kissing Shantiel.

"Seamus, are you jealous?" Ginny inquired, smiling.

Seamus blushed before answering, "Jealous! Of what?"

"Jealous of my sweet, beautiful, loving, brilliant, wonderful, Shan," Harry said, smiling as Shantiel blushed crimson. "You look even cuter when you do that," he said.

"Well, Seamus is right. I think you two broke the record of most snogs in one meal," Ron said sarcastically.

"You should talk, Weasley," Harry said, Ron glanced at Hermione before blushing the color of his roots. Shantiel giggled while the others laughed.

"We'd better be going to class," Ginny said, grabbing her books and standing. The blonde girl followed suit.

"Care of Magical Creatures," she said evenly.

Ron smirked, "Have fun with whatever dangerous freaky creature Hagrid has this time," he said. Hermione smacked the back of his head. Rubbing his head, Ron said, "Ow! I was kidding! Great, now there's a lump," he complained.

Hermione glared at him, "Maybe you'll think before you speak next time, Ronald."

"Bye, guys," Shantiel said before following Ginny out of the hall.

Hermione looked at their schedules, "Time for Advance Transfigurations," she reported solemnly.

Ron groaned, "As if I didn't have enough of a headache already," he complained, rubbing the spot where Hermione had smacked him.

* * *

Two nights later, Shantiel was abruptly awakened by a repetitive tapping on the window her dormitory. Wondering if it had been a stranded owl as she grabbed her wand and made her way to the window. She was surprised to see Harry on his broom smiling at her slightly mischievously.

"Harry, what in the name of Godric are you doing here?" Shantiel said, half worried and half curious. His smile grew wider as he flew closer.

"I came to ask if you would like to fly with me," Harry said, tossing her his Invisibility Cloak. "I'm sick of being cooped up in the school. The hospital wing was particularly dreadful." Shantiel laughed incredulously as she caught the cloak and rolled her eyes at him.

"At this time of the night? I swear that the twins have rubbed off on you this summer," Shantiel said as she failed to sound stern. She smiled, looking at her sleeping roommates and whispered back, "Meet me by the lake."

Harry nodded and flew away while Shantiel quickly closed the window. As quietly as possible, she got dressed and threw the cloak over herself. The blonde girl made her way out into the seventh floor corridors. Upon exiting the portrait hole, she had confused the Fat Lady immensely by being invisible. She looked around to made sure the coast was clear before continuing on out to the grounds. Once outside she removed the cloak. She saw Harry standing next to the lake with his broom in his hand. Shantiel ran up to him and he smiled as he kissed her.

"Are you ready?" he asked her with excitement which caused her to laugh as she nodded. He mounted his broom first then Shantiel climbed on behind him and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. Harry kicked off the ground and flew sky bound. Shantiel laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, letting the cool September breeze rush passed her. She missed the feeling that being in the air brought along with the freedom. Time between them disappeared leaving a feeling of pure contentment. If anything this was her, idea of heaven.

They flew a bit passed Hogsmeade before making a sharp turn. Harry swooped around the castle and then over the Quidditch pitch. He made a banking turn and he and Shan traveled across the lake. She dipped her feet in the water and skimmed across the lake and felt almost like she was skiing! Her shoes got wet but she didn't care—they could be dried off magically. They landed just as the sky began to turn royal purple with faded hints of pink. The pair walked back into the castle hand-in-hand, at peace and just so calm. When they entered back into the Gryffindor common room, Harry kissed her one last time before they returned to their dorms.

Little did they know, a pair of twinkling bespectacled eyes had watched them on their flight.


	4. Three Times Seized

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

**THREE TIMES SEIZED  
**

It was a bit of a shock getting used to the changes in Harry, but his friends adjusted amazingly well. It was easy to tell he felt quite conspicuous, being the only person totally covered up when he went outside, but he couldn't help it. It was either that or allow himself to get burn blisters across his face and arms because of his new "allergy" to sunlight. He always kept his sunglasses on, day or night, inside or outside. Some of his other classmates teased him about it, saying he was probably covering up a hangover. He didn't mind that at all—it was better than all the whispering going on behind his back about being a vampire.

In the weeks following the second vampire attack, a few parents had started to protest about Harry's attending Hogwarts and began to demand his removal due to the danger he would be posing other students. It wasn't the first time that Harry had been thought of as a threat to the pupils of Hogwarts…he was rather used to it by now. He'd just hoped that by banishing Voldemort, some of the obnoxious rhetoric would die down, but he experienced no such luck.

* * *

Once again, Harry and Shantiel were sitting next to the Black Lake at night. He was relieved that he had never been bitten by any vampire. A streaking stream of light flew over them high in the sky. Harry smiled as he watched Shantiel closing her eyes to make a wish. She opened them a few seconds later and took his hand.

"So what did you wish for?" she asked curiously.

"You know, being with you right now is all I could really wish for," Harry replied, smiling. He gently pushed her hair back from her face.

"That's exactly what I wished for," she said as he drew her closer to him and put her arms around his neck. He laughed.

"Is that right?" he said, lightly pressing his forehead against hers. The stars seemed to reflect in her eyes.

"I love you, Harry," she said, looking into his eyes. He bent down and gently kissed her. While kissing her, he heard a soft pulsating noise. The sound seemed to get louder in Harry's mind and ears. He held her tighter, trying to block out the hauntingly familiar sound. A sweet scent hit his nostrils, a scent that seemed very appealing. Suddenly, he was very hungry, nearly starving...

Sensing something wrong, the girl pulled away from him. By now, the pulsing noise he heard had grown so loud, it echoed inside his head.

"Harry, are you okay?" Shantiel asked, looking concerned. Her voice was barely audible as the sound of her pulse grew more intensely. Then it happened. Harry lost all control and sank his fangs into her soft flesh. Finally, he was getting what he needed and nothing else mattered. He ignored the girl's pleas and her struggles as he continued to drain her vein. He couldn't stop himself, nor did he want to…he couldn't get enough of this new addiction.

He felt the girl getting weaker as he still latched onto her neck. At last, his thirst was quenched. He looked down to see Shantiel ghost pale and limp in his arms. Two rivulets streamed down her neck as he stood there, horrified, at what he had just done to her. He began screaming.

His own screams jolted him awake in a pool of sweat. He felt sick to his stomach remembering the horrific dream he had. He had drained the girl he loved of her very life blood. What had he become? This thought terrorized him even more. What if he really couldn't control himself anymore? He jumped out of bed; he had to get away from the nightmare he just had...it seemed the best way to do that was to go for a walk. Harry threw on his Invisibility Cloak and left his dorm.

* * *

Throwing all caution to the wind, Harry entered the Dark Forest. Though he hadn't known it, something was waiting for him. He traveled far into the trees, not knowing he was being called. He stopped and looked at a beautiful meadow bathed in moonlight. The young man moved deeper inside the forbidden cove. Harry was being lured by a distant ethereal humming. He followed it, uncertain where it was coming from.

Suddenly, a thin shadowy figure appeared in front of him. For a split-second, Harry thought that the figure was a Death Eater as two hands slowly pushed back the black hood. He discovered it wasn't a Death Eater at all, but a pale-skinned beautiful young woman. Her lips were crimson red and her eyes were as dark as her long hair that framed her narrow face. She stopped her eerie singing and spoke.

"Hello, Harry," she said. Her voice was hauntingly soft and it chilled him. "Who are you?" he demanded, holding his wand.

She seemed to glide toward him without much effort.

"Wait, I know you…don't I?" Harry continued. Her lips parted into a smile showing two white pointed fangs. Not another one! Suddenly, he knew why she was there…to complete his transformation. His feet felt as though they were rooted to the ground.

She laughed beguilingly at the terror on his face. "I'm Pandora. I know you've met my collaborators Apollo and Epimetheus. She swept closer to him and her eyes burned into his like dark ambers. It was as if she were paralyzing him…just like a snake about to attack its prey. His wand dropped from his fingertips.

A strange combination of sleepiness and relaxation was sweeping over him once more. It was because of his proximity to this vampire. _Not again, _he thought desperately, _fight her, fight it! _Harry commanded himself. But it was no use. Pandora placed her hands on his shoulders and lowered her head down to his neck. He felt her fangs piercing into his skin.

His eyes were slowly closing as he felt himself growing even weaker, "No! No! Not like this," he cried, falling to the soft earth. "If you must kill me, just kill me. Please…I can't stand the thought of being immortal, living without those I love…"

* * *

"Headmaster, the last time anybody saw Harry was when he went to bed in his dorm last night," said Adonna.

Dumbledore looked at her gravely. "Then we must assume the worst, I'm afraid. Harry's streak for reckless behavior became magnified after he was bit the second time."

"So you think he left?"

"His Invisibility Cloak is missing, as is his wand. There is no doubt in my mind that he left the castle."

"Where do you think he went?"

"Probably into the forest, as he's nowhere on the school's grounds or in the surrounding hills. His broom is still here, so he didn't take that. I fear that there's not much we can do to find him. The forest is too vast and too dangerous to send out search parties. But we do have a few friends who live in the forest. Firenze, a centaur, is one of them."

* * *

The days turned into weeks and still nobody had heard a word about Harry Potter. The young wizard had vanished without a trace. Firenze hadn't heard any news, much less been able to track him anywhere. Rumors spread throughout Hogwarts. Harry was dead, he had been bitten again, now he was taking new victims himself. No one knew a thing, and that was what worried his friends the most.

Harry had never given up on them, so they didn't want to give up on him…but the more time went by, the harder it got to believe he was still alive, out there in the forest somewhere, lost and alone. The plausibility that a 17-year-old boy could survive the dangers of the Dark Forest for weeks on end was slim to none…even if that boy was Harry Potter.


	5. Shantiel's Plan

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

**SHANTIEL'S PLAN  
**

Loneliness began to creep into Shantiel's veins as the days slowly moved by. She tried her best to hide it from her friends even though they were certain that Harry's disappearance affected her deeply. It affected them terribly, too, but Shantiel was desperate to hide the depth of her concern. She didn't want them to worry for her. They should focus their worry on Harry.

More than ever, she spent her time flying or studying but neither one worked as much of a distraction or comfort anymore. She was worried, scared, and missed Harry so much. She thought about going to find him the same way he had done for her the previous year…but her friends said that he would want her safety over anything else. She didn't want to give up on him. It was too soon. Yet it was impossible to just sit still and wait for something to happen. She walked along the corridors to the Headmaster's office where she had been summoned moments ago. She knew Dumbledore was most likely checking up on her.

She stopped in front of the statue and muttered, "Phoenix feathers," and approached the door. She softly knocked before she entered the room. She heard Fawkes softly cooing at her when she walked towards him.

He let how a sympathetic sound as she stroked his beautiful feathers and she began to feel slightly better. A kind elderly voice spoke from behind her. "Hello there, Shantiel. I trust you're wondering why I called you here?"

"Well," Shantiel began, "I figured it was because you wished to see how I'm doing…"

The headmaster smiled kindly and answered, "Partially, yes. But another reason is because of this." He held up a small box wrapped in red paper with a golden bow. "As we both know, your birthday has come and gone in the time that Harry first went missing." Shantiel averted her eyes for a moment and gazed at the floor. The headmaster continued, "We found this in his things. It was his intention to give it to you for your birthday," he finished as he handed the small red box to her.

She looked at the box and tried to keep the wave of overwhelming emotions at bay. The blonde girl softly thanked Dumbledore.

"Is there anything that you need to discuss with me?" Dumbledore asked while peering at her over his glasses.

She looked away and said, "No, Professor. Nothing that comes to mind.' She knew that he was only trying to get her to confess about what she was planning.

"Know that I am here if you need to talk about anything. You are not alone," The wizened wizard said before she left his office.

Shantiel's mind was in a windstorm about what could be in the gift box. At the same time, she didn't want to know what it was. Her internal battle raged on as she returned to the Gryffindor common room. She sat down in the chair looking at the box in her hand. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been as spectacular as the locket. Her curiosity finally got the better of her. She carefully unwrapped the scarlet paper. She opened the small white box and saw a piece of parchment on top. With a deep breath, she unfolded it and read:

Dear Shan,

As you know, I'm a man of few words and I'm not very eloquent either. I'm not sure if this will sound right, but I'll try. In the past year, I've seen you go from shy schoolgirl to the beautiful young woman I fell in love with. We've had a strong bond since the beginning, but who knew it would turn out the way it did! One may even say our relationship was like that of a Seeker to a Snitch-one flies away while the other one pursues.

I didn't realize it, but we chased after each other. I could hardly believe it when I finally caught you. It was better than winning any house game. That's why I thought of giving you the first Snitch that I ever caught. It's to symbolize you're the only one I ever dreamed of catching. Happy Birthday, Shan. I hope today is everything you ever dreamed of and more.

Love, Harry

Something flew out of the box but Shantiel caught it. The Golden Snitch fluttered in her hand. She looked at it with tears now flowing down her cheeks. Like the locket the small ball had also been inscribed.

You're the Snitch I've always dreamed of catching.

She gazed that the Snitch for a few moments more. At that moment, Shantiel knew that they had to remain together, even now. This gift proved how strong their bond to one another was. She looked out the window knowing what she had to do. No one could convince her otherwise.

* * *

Adonna sat at her desk watching her daughter with hidden concern. She hadn't known quite how bad things were getting until Hermione spoke to her the day before about how much Shantiel had changed since Harry's disappearance. Shantiel avoided the healer's eyes by looking at her hands or out the window. Adonna hadn't seen Shantiel this bad even when she first spoke with the blonde.

"Is everything alright, Shan?" Adonna asked the girl compassionately, hoping to reach her. Shantiel just shook her head once, looking outside the window. Adonna tried again, "Is it about Harry's disappearance a few weeks ago?" This made Shantiel briefly look at her mother with a hint of despair in her eyes but again, she looked away. "I know that you are hurting and pain can cause us to start to think irrationally. You know that there's a possibility…" The healer's words trailed off, she knew that what she was about to say was truth but didn't know how distraught Shantiel was.

"That there's a possibility Harry may never come back. But you know what? I don't believe it. I'll do anything to be with him, anything-we're meant to be together, I know it."

"Shantiel Tonks, do you not hear yourself?" Adonna said sternly. "It's not safe or right for me to allow you to have false hope such as this, even _if_ Harry is still alive right now."

"He's alive," Shantiel muttered stubbornly.

Adonna sighed impatiently. "Even _if_ Harry is still alive, and not dead in the forest somewhere, it is a virtual certainty that he is now a full vampire. Do you think I want to see my only daughter attacked and transformed by somebody who used to love her?"

"I know he still loves me."

"Shantiel," Adonna continued, with barely repressed exasperation, "he cannot help or stop himself from attacking you if you get too near him. It's not his fault, but it is the honest truth. What will it take to convince you of this?" The healer touched Shantiel's shoulder in concern. Finally, the girl turned around to look at her.

"I'm sorry, but nothing you say will convince me that Harry doesn't love me anymore." Shantiel said this will full conviction, her hand clasped tightly about the locket around her neck.

* * *

Shantiel sat on the window on the Room of Requirement, looking at the looming trees of the Dark Forest. She had sneaked off and nobody knew she was there. She just wanted to be by herself without someone constantly watching her. Even being there reminded her of him, but this was the only room that brought her any comfort.

Everyone told her to not venture into the forest alone, in case…Harry had turned. _How would they know of he has turned or not? _She sighed and unconsciously twirled her locket in her fingers. They all kept a close watch on her, following her everywhere. It was annoying.

She, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron spent hours studying on the side of their other studies for vampire bites, hoping to find how out to rid Harry's current condition. She even resorted to the restricted section to find books…anything. Harry had been gone a full six weeks.

However, four months ago, Harry had made the ultimate sacrifice…he had done the same thing for her, Ron, and Hermione as she did for him. Their love for each other had been strength enough to overcome physical death and it somehow miraculously caused Harry to come back to life.

Her love for him hadn't weakened or quavered, she loved him as much as the day she first fell in love with him. Looking at her locket, the jewel was still a deep clear royal purple. She read the soul-felt inscriptions on the locket,

"Now and Always

Together we'll be-

Joined Forever as One.

Love, Harry."

After reading it, she hadn't realized she had faded away into a certain memory…

_"You see, Harry and Shantiel," continued Dumbledore, "we are treading into realms of magic never before explored, so all I have is a theory. Just as Lord Voldemort passed his power to you by Avada Kedavra, Harry, the locket did the same when she set it in your hand."_

_ Shantiel and Harry suddenly found themselves staring at Shan's necklace. "But how can a necklace do that?" demanded Harry. "Isn't that like dark magic?"_

_ "Far from it, my boy," Dumbledore said. "You see those gems on your jewelry? Your ring and her locket each took one drop of healing blood from each of you and stored it. So, Harry, it was your aura of protection paired with Shantiel's healing essence that brought you back to us."_

_ "So…I can heal?" Shantiel asked, astonished. _

_ "Yes, something very special indeed," Adonna said, looking at the blonde's stunned face. "It's the one thing that saved you from dying. I never could have done it."_

_ "There's another factor that has a role in this, Harry," Dumbledore said, peering over his glasses. "You have heard all your life how you have your mother's eyes. They are special indeed just as Lily and you are. I told you your first year, that within your blood your mother's protection resides. You and Shantiel have something in common with you and Voldemort. You now are in are both irrevocably connected to one another," Dumbledore said, "So yes; somehow those drops of blood from you and Shantiel went inside the locket and ring and mixed together, and back into you." _

_ "And brought Harry back to life," Shantiel interjected._

_ Dumbledore nodded, "Thus proving the strength of romantic love can overcome even death."_

_ Harry looked from Dumbledore to Shantiel with an amazed look. _

_ "We're…connected?" he asked. The blonde was just as thunderstruck as the young man was. _

_ "Yes, Harry it seems that is so," Dumbledore answered. "In time, you will come to see exactly what that means for the both of you." _

As the memory faded, tears stung her eyes. She still held the locket in her hand. One thing still held very true…they were one and as long as they were together, everything was going to be okay. But how was she going to be with him now? She soon rationalized the only way she could be with him is if she pledged her undying love for him by offering herself to him not only as a victim, but forever. It meant she would have to get bitten and infected with the same virus.

With a plan formulating in her mind, she made certain nobody was watching and left the Room of Requirement. She would leave the castle after dark and if someone saw her in the corridor, she could tell them she was going to the library. When she left though she would have to make sure no other Prefects or professors were around to see if she actually went to the library or not. Shantiel climbed up the grand staircase back to the tower. She entered the seventh corridor, hoping everyone was still at dinner.

"Omit," she muttered, the portrait swung open. Walking through the portrait hole, the blonde made her way through the empty room to her dormitory.

In the back of her mind she knew that her friends would be asking where she had been all day. She reminded herself she needed to stay focused on her plan to find Harry.


	6. Prometheus Reborn

**CHAPTER SIX:**

**PROMETHEUS REBORN**

Hermione was growing more concerned about Shantiel. Harry had mysteriously disappeared shortly before the girl's birthday. She and Ron had watched Shantiel become more distant and withdrawn drastically in six weeks' time.

Not to mention, she would disappear for hours somewhere inside the castle. It was obvious Shantiel tried to hide it from them. Not less than three weeks ago, Hermione expressed to Ginny that she was afraid that Shantiel might be getting to the point that she would do something irrational and reckless. She wholeheartedly agreed with the bushy haired girl and suggested going to Dumbledore.

The headmaster shared the same concern and proposed that Shantiel be carefully watched at all times until Harry came back or was found.

Looking up from her meal, Hermione saw the towheaded girl walking into the hall. Ginny noticed her too. Shantiel sat down next to Hermione.

"Hi guys," Shantiel said softly, avoiding their eyes.

"Do you want to go to the library after dinner?" Hermione said hopefully.

Not looking up, "No," Shantiel said. There was no emotion in her voice.

Ginny asked eagerly, "Hey would you want to go play some Quidditch later?" she took a bite of her food.

"No."

Both Hermione and Ginny heard the same emotionless tone in Shantiel voice. She took a few bites of her meal, "I think I'm going to go take a walk," Shantiel said. She drank some of her pumpkin juice and stood up.

"See you later?" Ginny said warmly with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Yeah, maybe," Shantiel answered mechanically.

The bushy haired sighed as she watched her friend walk out of the Great Hall.

"So where you think she goes?" Ginny's voice said, penetrating Hermione's thoughts.

Turning to face Ginny with a worried look, "I honestly don't know but she getting worse," Hermione said.

"She has become more obsessed with vampire books, there are loads by her bed," Ginny informed.

"I know, Shantiel is so sure there's some kind of potion or something that will turn Harry back to normal," Hermione said, "and for all I know there isn't a cure."

Shantiel told Hermione the previous week that the girl was willing to do anything for Harry. Hermione was afraid of how far Shantiel would go.

Shantiel went to the Gryffindor girls' sixth year dormitory, determined to put her plan in action. She ran through scenarios in her head, figuring out ways that she could escape without being caught. Most importantly, she thought about what she was going to tell Harry. She decided that it would be best to use the cloak and leave the castle before anyone could notice she was gone. That would be right now, while everybody was still at dinner. She changed into a tee shirt and jeans and grabbed her black cloak.

"Here goes nothing," Shantiel said, taking a deep breath and left the room.

She climbed down the spiraling staircase into the common room, quickly making her way to the portrait hole. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron's voices were approaching the minute Shantiel happened to step out of the portrait hole.

"I don't like leaving Shantiel alone in the state she's in," Hermione said, troubled. Shantiel pressed herself up against the wall as her friends came closer.

"After Hermione and I look up in the dormitory, we can look in the Room of Requirement," Ginny said.

Ron muttered, "It's not like Shan's any worse off than the rest of us. All of us have been looking up possible cures for Harry. Nobody's ready to give on him yet. It's just not right. He said the password, "Omit," and the portrait opened.

Hermione paused for a moment and looked straight where Shantiel had been standing, "I think I hear something," she said suspiciously.

"What?" Ginny asked.

Immediately Shantiel covered her mouth and nose with her hand to silence her breathing. Hermione stared in her direction for almost what seemed like an hour.

"It's probably Peeves again," Hermione said, turning away and walking inside with the others. Could have Hermione sensed that the blonde girl was hiding under the tapestry next to the portrait hole?

Before anyone else could show up, Shantiel continued down the corridor. A small bead of guilt built in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like sneaking around, but this was something that she had to do. Shan knew that it was dangerous, but hadn't she and Harry been through enough danger together already? They had faced death together. What could possibly be worse than that? She stepped down the marbled staircase to the entrance hall. The blonde looked behind her to make sure no one was coming and silently left through the oak doors onto the grounds.

* * *

Harry lay huddled on the blankets that Pandora had managed to smuggle into the cave for him. He'd drifted in and out of consciousness for days, and no longer knew nor cared to know how long he had been there.

The hallucinations ate at him like a cancer, just reaffirming to him of the atrocity of what those vampires had done, had turned him into.

The last thing he had to fight against was actually drinking the blood of a human. He didn't even want to live anymore, especially after contemplating the things he'd have to do in order to survive. So he determined that...he wouldn't try to live.

Pandora had pleaded with him endlessly to drink something, anything human, and had even brought him offerings several times. But still he would not do it, and she didn't understand.

Hopefully it wouldn't be long for him now; Harry hadn't been able to move independently for around two days, and the small animals and such that Pandora had managed to procure for him no longer sustained him.

The vampyress didn't know of any vampire who had even shunned the basic drive of the virus inside for so long, and she couldn't think of a single instance where one had been killed without a wooden stake through the heart.

But then again, she hadn't known Harry Potter.

* * *

Pandora hadn't known anyone else who didn't eventually come around to accept and even anticipate the so-called 'gift of siring' the vampires had bestowed upon Harry...or Prometheus, as she now called him. And it was this last vestige of his humanity that he clung to; that his will to die must now supercede his unbreakable will to survive.

But Pandora certainly knew him now. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how much Prometheus did not want to be a vampire. He even so much as threw himself at her mercy to kill him quickly and with dignity. Then she had explained to him her own convoluted sense of ethics; how she couldn't kill him because he was her sireling, how she was bound to help him because of the same reasons.

Thereby, the fated duo found themselves at an impasse; Prometheus unable to truly die because he was now immortal, and Pandora unable to kill him or stay away just to let him dwindle into nothingness.

So it was with deepest regret that she entered what had become Prometheus's cave. Sadly, he was delirious to the point of not even knowing she was kneeling right in front of him.

She had never personally witnessed a vampire wilfully try and starve himself to death, so Prometheus's appearance frightened her. Vampires had never been known for their healthy countenances but Prometheus was so gaunt and withered, and his skin so alabaster, it brought out the blue frosted tinge in his lips. Even his jet-black hair had faded to metallic grey. He looked more like a corpse after freezing than a new immortal.

Forgoing the flasks of fresh blood she always had stowed away for him after her own latest feedings (just in case he should change his mind,) Pandora gently lifted Prometheus and cradled his upper body. No amount of harvested blood was going to bring him out of this catatonia; since no convenient victim was present and Prometheus was too weak anyway, the only solution to the problem was to give him the next best thing.

Pandora reached into a concealed pocket to retrieve a small two-pronged instrument reserved for this specific occasion...a sireling's introductory feeding. In a movement of long practice, she jabbed the points of the stainless steel into the vein of her left wrist and removed the instrument just as quickly.

The simulated fang punctures welled up and started to drip, as Pandora presented the scarlet offering to Prometheus and held her wrist to his open lips.

Since vampires didn't need oxygen to survive, looking for signs of breathing often proved pointless. Pandora sat there on the floor of the cave for so long just holding the stark-still Prometheus, blood seeping from her wrist to his mouth. The holes in her wrist began healing themselves in and yet Prometheus still had given no sign of reviving. She was becoming convinced that he might have actually succeeded in killing himself

Suddenly, a great involuntary shudder rent through Prometheus as she held him; although the duration of it was initially alarming, it was also welcome. His lips sealed around the punctures in Pandora's wrist and at long last, he began to feed on what he'd truly been made to have...human nectar.

This was one case where Pandora knew the recipient wouldn't be very grateful after such an offering, however. When Prometheus became fully aware of what she had just done, he was most decidedly not going to be happy with her at all. Instinctively, he suckled her wrist, driven by viral hunger only another vampire could truly understand. Pandora noticed some faded wash of color was returning to his cheeks and his lips were no longer drown-victim blue. His vacant eyes were also regaining some of their former clarity.

Pandora started to ease her wrist away from his mouth, but in a lightning swift movement, Prometheus clamped vice-like fingers around her arm and began to drain her vein even more rapidly. She really had no desire to fight him off, especially since she was to blame for his present condition, but it took a good cuff across his head after five times of her exclaiming increasingly loudly, "You're taking too much!" before Prometheus finally stopped his relentless feeding.

After that, several things happened in rapid succession. Prometheus choked out, "I'm sorry!" threw her wrist from him, sat bolt upright, and stared wildly at her in a mix of awakened bloodfire, horror, relief, and finally betrayal.

"No!" exclaimed Prometheus, "Why did you do this? How could you...I trusted you..."

Reminded once again that she had chosen the wrong human to sire, Pandora really didn't have time to deal with useless emotion and niceties at this time. Somebody was in danger, somebody whom Pandora knew would be of utmost import for Prometheus to protect. The only one who could do something about that protection by this point was Prometheus himself.

"Listen to me, Prometheus," said Pandora sharply, "Shantiel is out wandering in the Dark Forest, and you know as well as I the dangers that can befall her here. I would never have revived you otherwise. Please believe me when I say that you can still trust me; had that not been the case I could have easily claimed Shantiel for my next feeding. You must tell her to leave, _Harry_." She very deliberately chose his human name, the one he had forbade her to use...

Direct terms brought a sense of harsh reality to the situation, though Prometheus was still having trouble assimilating everything. He leaned back against the wall and ran his hands over his head, as if doing so would force rational thinking to resume.

"Where is Shan?" he demanded of Pandora.

Though he looked dazed, his voice was steady, sure...a person who could adapt to a given situation on a whim when someone is in danger... She wasn't sure what Harry had been like as a mortal, but Pandora was certain Prometheus now still had the same inner drive. Anybody who had defeated the Dark Lord could be no less.

"Not so fast," said Pandora, "you're not going anywhere until you drink these," and she handed him both full flasks. "If you don't, I guarantee you'll collapse straight outside the cave's entrance and go no further. That's how depleted you are."

Prometheus knew full well what she had just given him. He took one of the flasks without hesitating and tried to ask casually, "Sure you don't want one?"

Pandora smirked a bit and said, "I prefer it fresh, not harvested. Those are yours."

He glared at her, stone-faced, and growled gutturally, "Anything for you, Shan." Then he shut his eyes and downed the flask contents in one go.

"You don't have to gulp it, you know," Pandora told him, slightly bemused. "I know how much you need it, how good it must taste. There's no need to put up a front."

Harry's eyeteeth elongated to full fangs as he'd drained the flask. The heat-freeze tingle of quenched bloodfire seared through him as he closed his eyes and was forced to brace himself up against the cave wall. It was a full minute before Harry answered Pandora, but when he did, it was with unmistakable coldness.

"I might be forced to accept the fact that I have to do this to save Shan," he said frostily, "but I refuse to prolong it, and I sure as hellfire don't have to _like_ it."

"But what's the difference?" questioned Pandora. "You're a vampire now, you need to drink blood to survive whether you want to or not. Why fight what's inside of you now?"

Harry pushed himself off the wall, stood over her, eyes hard with pure disdain, "My whole life, I've had to fight what's been forced on me without my knowledge or consent. And that includes being chosen as the one to defeat Voldemort. How I fight the virus makes no difference; the fact that I keep fighting it _does_. Every step of the way."

"Even if it causes you such pain?" queried a mystified Pandora.

"_Especially_ if it causes me pain."

She answered cynically, "That hardly seems like a sound choice to me."

"No, but then again, you and your collaborators tried to remove my right to choose by sireing me," he lashed out angrily.

Pandora hissed ferally as Rome said the words. It was a vampire's way of warning another, but frankly he didn't care. He felt no fear whatsoever and Pandora needed to hear it.

"In either case," he continued icily, "I don't require your opinion, your understanding, nor your permission for my current choice of action."

Shaking her head, Pandora replied, "Even when nobody's around to see, you still make decisions as if you're being watched. Who's going to know? Who's going to care?"

"_I__'ll_ know what I do or how I act, _I__'__m_ going to care. That's always been enough, and I'm not about to quit that now. Take it or leave it."

Then he emphasized his point by slamming the second flask's contents even more quickly than the first.

Pandora's eyes widened, she held up her hand and exclaimed, "No, don't do that–"

But it was too late.

Despite Prometheus's having told Pandora they had a truce–she had continued to risk exposing herself by helping him lay low–he still didn't really trust her. At the time, he simply had no choice, because he couldn't stop her from coming back to the cave, just as Pandora had gone against Rome's wishes by reviving him.

"Suddenly, I don't feel so good..." mumbled Prometheus, as an overpowering wave of dizziness crashed over him and he swayed dangerously on his feet.

"I told you not to do that," admonished Pandora, who quickly caught and lowered him back onto the blankets. "All right, so you don't have to justify your actions to me; fair enough. But it might do you some good to listen to a few pointers from your friendly neighborhood vampyress." She raised a sardonic eyebrow and continued, "First thing: I don't care who you are, four pints of anything in less than three minutes–even water–is going to make a person sick, immortal or not. This is especially so if you A) Have an empty stomach, B) Have been starving yourself for over six weeks, C) It's your first real feeding, and D) It's harvested instead of fresh. When it's cooled off, it's harder for us to absorb. Got all that?"

"I am hardly in a position to disagree," replied Harry miserably, head between his knees. "How long will I feel it?"

"What, the sickness? It'll pass quickly, the virus will kick into overdrive to help you absorb the excess. Don't worry, it's not like alcohol is to humans."

"That's good," Rome answered with relief. He really didn't want to spend the next several hours with a hangover.

"That's one of several changes that you'll become familiar with. In fact, except for the initial feeding because of bloodfire haze, it's the opposite of humans–who tend to want to sleep after eating. For example, besides the fading nausea, how do you feel now?"

Harry considered; besides overloading his system with too much...he felt surprisingly...good. Better than he had in ages, in fact.

"I dunno...I think...I feel...alive?" he said uncertainly.

Pandora nodded and replied, "There's an old saying that goes, 'The best time to negotiate with a vampire is after he's just fed, because that's when he's the most human.'"

"Is that why no other type of blood works as well? Because we–" it was odd for Harry to classify himself as vampire, "–take on characteristics of who we drink from?"

"Whom or _what_, you mean. And to a certain extent, yes," affirmed Pandora, "but it's not like the effects of Polyjuice Potion, however. For example, until you drank that last flask, your hair remained a dingy gray. Vampires do look severely aged when malnourished, but it was also because of the rodents and small game you've been feeding from. You are what you eat," she said, and shrugged.

Harry fought the urge to say "Eurgh" to that, so he changed the subject.

"You said my hair is gray?" he asked, running his fingers through it and trying to get a good look.

"_Was_ gray," corrected Pandora, "now it's raven again. Well, except for right here." She reached up and fingered his fringe. "Now you have a shock of pure silver where your hair parts."

"I do?" he carefully touched his fringe where Pandora had.

She nodded and said, "Yes. The change from mortal to immortal is a bit drastic, and affects some more than others. Yours is easily the most traumatic transition I've witnessed. For some individuals, a few pigment cells in their hair or eyes just die, and nothing can revive them. Your eyes are still green, though. I'd give you a mirror, but that would be pointless." She gave him a rueful look. "However, it's getting almost time for you to leave." And Dora told him where he could find Shantiel.


	7. A Lover's Worst Lie

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

**A LOVER'S WORST LIE  
**

The moon was already halfway in the dark sky as Shantiel slowly crossed the grounds into the foreboding forest. She held her wand out in front of her and whispered, "Lumos." The tip of her wand immediately lit up, but it was just enough light to see in front of her.

The blonde pulled the hood of her cloak over her head as the bitter wind blew more coldly. She had the odd feeling that she was being watched. Small branches and leaves crunched softly with each step she took. Harry had to be in here somewhere. It became darker the deeper she went and Shantiel wrapped her cloak closer to herself.

Something in the trees to her left caught her attention. Turning her head, she held up her wand to see what it was but the branches in the trees stood still. "Harry? Is that you?" she called out hopefully. Nothing answered her. She gave the trees one last look before she started walking again. She trudged deeper into the darkness and the moon disappeared suddenly above the canopy of trees. The leaves rustled in the harsh wind.

Eventually, Shantiel came to a clearing with small pond that sparkled in the moonlight. It rippled silently as she walked up to the water's edge. For a time she stared into the roughened surface, catching a glimpse of her reflection occasionally when the wind would cease intermittently. The last time her reflection was joined by another's, but when she turned back to look at who it was, the individual was gone.

"You shouldn't be here," a familiar voice called out warningly.

Still searching the darkness for a silhouette, she replied quietly, "And why shouldn't I?"

"You know perfectly well why. The Dark Forest is off-limits to students for a reason-"

She suddenly turned back toward the pond and untied her cloak in one smooth motion. It fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

"What...are...you...doing?" said the voice to Shantiel, barely above a whisper.

A gust of wind sprang up, causing Shantiel to toss her head to avoid getting hair in her eyes. It left one side of her neck tantalizingly exposed in the moonlight.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Shantiel hopefully to his terse query. Then, voice trembling, she continued, "We swore we'd always be together no matter what. Not even death itself could stop us. Therefore this must be the next stage, what we have to do to stay as one." She looked out over the pond and arched her spine, "Since there's no cure for your condition, there's only one way to overcome this. So, I'll join you in immortality," she said proudly, "by allowing you to drink first blood. My first blood."

* * *

Harry continued to stare at the back of Shantiel's neck. Her words truly shocked him; he'd expected her to come to the forest and plead with him to go back with her to Hogwarts or do something equally ludicrous like try and pretend he'd never been forced into a physical transformation of which he wanted no part. His condition wasn't like Lupin's-one or perhaps two nights of an entire month when he was...a monster. Harry would be a vampire every single day, every single night, for the rest of eternity.

And what better way to spend eternity than with the one you love most? Shantiel's actual intentions had been not only to cease mortal life, but to allow Harry to carry out her transformation. It was almost poetic, in a way...he slowly and soundlessly swept up behind her.

_Shantiel, oh Shantiel, _her name a became sweet mantra in his mind, _it's only right that we should be together...you even came here to offer yourself to me...what did I ever to do earn such trust? _

It had been a full six weeks since he'd last seen her...he hoped that time and transformation would make the attraction fade, but she was even more beautiful than he remembered, and he realized he missed her terribly.

He reached out a hand to sweep her hair away from her face, bent down to kiss the nape of her neck, breathe in scent of her he loved so much—that of spiced peaches—

Suddenly, he was consumed with the bloodfire-induced desire to feed...the coppery-iron scent of living blood filled his nostrils, his lungs, his mind...it was so powerful his vision clouded over...so close, he could taste it...bite, tear, drink, now, now, NOW-

"I love you," whispered Shantiel.

And the viral-induced trance snapped like a sapling in a hurricane.

A sound between a sob and scream unwillingly escaped Harry's throat. Without knowing what he was doing, he instinctively began backing away from the girl so he wouldn't hurt her, can't hurt, don't hurt, won't hurt Shantiel...

Harry doubled over in his efforts to try and control his vampiristic tendencies...it was well known that vampires were incapable of real love, and now he knew precisely why. When in close contact with mortals, the virus always took over.

Slowly, Shantiel turned around to face him and saw him curled over and waiting for the haze to fade.

"What...are you doing?" she inquired hesitantly, so reminiscent of how Harry had asked her minutes ago.

Abruptly, Harry determined the only way to get Shantiel to ultimately back off and stay away was if she were fully convinced that Harry had changed...even if he had to lie to protect her.

So he came out from under his cloak, out of the shadows, and let her see him in all his menacing and immortal glory. Shantiel gasped slightly and backed up a step.

"What am I doing?" Harry repeated gruffly, voice still affected by the virus. "I've been waiting for you to come out of your stupid schoolgirl fantasy."

Gone were the glasses and boyish looks; immortality had given him perfect eyesight, and now he had the shock of silver in his hair. The garish moonlight glinted off his fangs as he spoke. "Vampires only employ the facade of love so as to get gain—whether it be to lure a convenient victim, gain trust to get something they really want, or for occasional fondness. They are incapable of feeling the true emotion of love. And I must admit I quite like the change. Love has brought me nothing but heartache and misery."

He slowly got closer to her as he spoke, steps barely a whisper across the ground.

Shantiel replied shakily, "How can you say that? It brought you back to life, to me…"

"Yes," replied Harry disdainfully, "only so that I could come back after defeating Voldemort and have his angered supporters turn me into...something else. But at least now I can accomplish something with real potential—I can at last be alone after years of everybody telling me what to do. Ironic, isn't it, that Harry Potter had to die three times in order to gain proper respect?" he asked coldly.

The small girl in front of him folded her arms and said, "Fine. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me." The words themselves were defiant, but the way she said them was more of a desperate plea.

Harry shut his eyes, swallowed, and did the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. He opened them up, stared right into her pale blue eyes and neutrally replied, "I...don't...love...you. It isn't in me anymore."

At that point, two hearts shattered into a million pieces. But if it meant Shantiel was safe, and her blood wasn't on his hands, it was well worth it...wasn't it?

Her face fell, and she stared at the ground. Unnoticed by her, Harry crept over to her cloak and slid it back over her shoulders just before he disappeared into the night. After all, vampires are too evil and heartless to cry.

* * *

Numbly, Shantiel turned around and trudged back into the trees. All feeling had left her. And though she didn't know it, Harry stood a silent vigil over her as she made her way back to Hogwarts.

"Why were you in the forest?" Dumbledore asked as Shantiel exited the forest.

"I went to find Harry," Shantiel replied, avoiding his friend's eyes. She didn't want to talk about it. She marched passed her.

Hermione grabbed her arm, "Shantiel, that was very dangerous. Professor McGonagall specifically told you not to go wandering off into the forest. Harry could have turned, he could have…"

"What? Bitten me?" the blonde girl said hotly, glaring at Hermione. "Well he didn't, did he? I actually wanted him to."

"Why? It's very possible that Harry could be a vampire now," Hermione said worriedly. Shantiel jerked her arm out of Hermione's grasp and stormed off again. She knew Hermione wouldn't understand. The bushy haired girl continued, "Or is it that you just don't want to see that he has changed?"

That made Shantiel stop dead where she was. Had she been in denial about Harry's changes? The harsh reality slammed into her with full force. Tears fell on her cheeks as she turned around to face Hermione.

Wiping her eyes, she said, "No, you're right. He's not Harry anymore. I know that now, I've seen it for myself. I was so stupid to even think giving myself to him would make a difference," Shantiel said, looking at the lake.

Walking up to the blonde girl, Hermione hugged her, "It's not his fault, you know. They took him, he didn't even have a chance…" she said sympathetically.

"I know," Shantiel said softly with her heart breaking. She knew now there was nothing she could do. They walked back to the castle.

It was difficult for Prometheus to watch the girl he loved crying like this, from pain he had caused. "I'm sorry Shan, but this is how it has to be from now on," he said softly from the shadows, swallowing past a lump in his throat. He didn't want to hurt her but what choice did he have? "Let's go," he said. He started back to the cave and Pandora followed him.

* * *

"You still love her don't you, Prometheus?" Pandora inquired. The young man froze where he stood, apparently caught off-guard by the vampyress's question.

"What are you on about?" Prometheus said gruffly. Pandora saw him try subtly to wipe at his eyes. "I'm a vampire, I can't love remember?" he added coolly.

"You know, I can see through that tough exterior that you put up around yourself," Pandora replied.

Clenching, fists at his sides he affirmed, "I did love her once but as I said that has all changed."

"It's that your heart saying that or your mind saying it?" Pandora pressed on curiously. Prometheus turned around and faced her. She had hit the nail head-on, his heart protested what was coming out of his mouth.

"Yeah. Because right now more than anything, I want to rush to Shan and hold her in my arms like I used to; tell her everything's going to be okay, but the truth of the matter is nothing's okay! Biting her would ultimately make things worse! This is for the best!" he lashed out at Pandora.

She stood there staring at him in utter disbelief, "Is it? One vampire thought differently when his lover did the very same as Shan did for you but the end result was that he bit her." She marched to him, "And I've never regretted the fact he did it…" she pushed passed him, "…until now."

Prometheus still stood watching the vampyress. He now knew why she became an immortal.


	8. Lupin's Offer

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

**LUPIN'S OFFER  
**

Pandora and Rome were about halfway back to the cave when suddenly, Pandora froze. Rome began to ask her what was going on, but she shooshed him. She motioned him closer and she explained to him in a harsh whisper, "There are vampires over there. And there's—" she paused for a moment, "—five of them hiding in the trees. I'm not certain what they want." She crouched down on all fours, "And now they know we saw them so they're headed this way."

Before Rome knew it, the five vampires were upon them. Three of the five stayed in the trees while the remaining two each approached Dora and Rome. One of them took a long whiff of air and looked straight at Rome.

"Ah, a virgin blood," he said.

"What do you want, Eros?" Pandora asked.

"Is this a new one, Dora?" questioned the blonde vampire. "It's been awhile since you sired a child."

Prometheus went to protest about the "child" when Pandora shooshed him again and stood up.

"Yes, he's my new sireling."

Eros began circling Rome as if he were inspecting a stallion for purchase. Automatically, Rome went for his wand, only to realize it wasn't where he left it.

"He's handsome enough," Eros appraised, "if a bit short." Rome growled.

"Ah, doesn't like that, does he?" Eros continued talking as if Rome was incapable of answering him.

The other vampire who had approached abruptly lashed out at Prometheus, slashing through the left thigh of his jeans and drawing blood. Rome made a sound of pain. Then Eros took a swipe at him with a knife and he ducked.

"Leave him alone, Ares and Eros," threatened Pandora.

"I was going to comment about his poor reflexes," continued Eros, "but at least this one learns quickly," he approved. "Why so protective of this one, Dora?" He and Ares continued to circle Rome. The other three vampires were drawing imperceptively closer.

"Yes, Dora," Ares joined in, "I've never seen you this way over a sireling. Don't you like to let them fend for themselves?"

Rome saw a brief flash of fear in Pandora's eyes. That's when he knew these vampires were going to kill him, if he let them. He was now bound and determined not to let them. The other vampires must have felt her fear too, because suddenly, they swooped down from the trees and attacked them. Ares grabbed ahold of Rome from behind and began squeezing off his air. Rome jabbed his elbows into Ares's midsection several times before he finally let go. As Rome fell to the ground and rolled, another vampire leapt on top of him. He got slashed across the face and chest several times. It all happened so fast, he couldn't see who it was. He'd spend so long just fighting for his life from these two vampires. Suddenly, the weight slumped off his chest, and Rome finished pushing the body off him. As he got up, he saw Pandora wiping off two large knife blades.

"Why…why would they want to kill me?" Prometheus asked Pandora.

"It's a game for them, taunting new vampires. If you can defend yourself properly, they'll let you go. Most of the time," she added ominously. "I accidentally let them see my fear. I hadn't trained you properly and they sensed something was wrong. Oh well. No need to worry about that now."

For the first time since he'd got up, Prometheus surveyed his surroundings. All five of the vampires were on the ground. "You k—you killed _all_ of them?" Rome asked in horror.

Dora's forehead creased as she looked at his face, "Of course. They were going to kill you. This is something you'll have to get used to now. Out here in the Dark Forest, when it's you or them, it's got to be you. If it's not, you die. I apologize for not having taught you how to defend yourself, but you weren't much in the mood for listening to anything I had to say. It was understandable then; however, now you must let me train you. But first, we need to drain these vampires."

"Drain them?"

"Of course," Dora said again, "where else do you think you're going to get blood when you don't drink from humans?"

_There must be a way around this,_ thought Rome, _and I know exactly who to go to._

_

* * *

_

"Headmaster?"

The elder gentleman looked genuinely surprised to see the person in his office the next day. McGonagall must have given him the password. "Greetings, Remus. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I'm not so sure it's pleasure, so much as business, Albus."

"Very well, then. Please do have a seat," said Dumbledore as he gestured to the front of his desk.

Remus Lupin gingerly lowered himself down into a chair. He looked ashamed for having done something, but for the life of him, the headmaster could not figure out what it was.

"Is something troubling you, Remus?"

"I'm afraid there is. You see, I should've come in here a long time ago."

"Oh?"

"Yes! But what with getting married and…the baby…"

Dumbledore sat quietly while Lupin mentally wrestled with himself. Physically,

the werewolf looked better than he had in ages, but mentally, Albus wasn't so certain.

"It's about Harry, Albus. I'm here to volunteer to look for him. As I said, I should've come in here sooner. But I'd just found out that Nymphadora was expecting…and I, well, I suppose I was enjoying the life of playing house, of not having to be out in the Dark Forest amongst other werewolves…"

"There's no need to be so self-castigating, my friend," began Dumbledore. "Our responsibilities often change during the course of our lives. Yours took a drastic turn after you got married. I take it you've spoken to your wife about this?"

Remus smiled, "It was she who insisted I should come in and speak with you. Something about not wanting to see her husband mope about the house when he could be making better use of himself elsewhere. Nymphadora's staying with her parents."

"When do you plan to begin looking for him?"

"The next full moon, of course."

"Then we've not much time.

* * *

Rome was simultaneously anticipating and dreading this meeting the next night. Dreading, because Severus Snape would no doubt prove a difficult man to try and persuade; anticipating, because Rome was going to give his former potions professor an ultimatum he couldn't possibly refuse. Oh yes, this encounter was going to be highly intriguing, at the very least.

It was only after stomping off in a fury-induced hurry that Prometheus suddenly realized he had no idea where the potions professor lived, and sheepishly had to return to Pandora and ask her if she knew. She responded with her by-now-trademark half-smirk and said anybody who was such a well-known servant of the Dark Lord would most certainly have been tailed by her cohorts in the past.

As Rome had never been to Spinners End, he was unendingly grateful to have held onto his talent for Apparating. Dora envied his skill greatly, and had strongly suggested he try and teach it to her on more than one occasion. Time and time again, he kept proving himself unique among his own kind. But by now, he found Dora's quoting of prophetic references irksome.

She described to him a secluded location not too far away from where she said Snape's dwelling was. Rome was impatient to get going, Dora asked again what he was doing, and again he refused to answer the query. Briefly, he wondered whether or not he would recognize a place he had never seen before...but that worry was put to rest immediately.

There at the end of a row of dilapidated old cottages sat the dwelling of the professor. Prometheus was sure of it; the stink of chemicals, fungus and decaying plant matter and dead things reached his nostrils, and it was all too reminiscent of the Potions classroom in the Hogwarts dungeon.

Dora had also indicated a secret knock that might help him gain entry, but mentioned since the war was over it probably no longer carried the significance it once did. Rome still attempted it; little else came to mind anyway. _The pattern: short, long, short, short, long, short, long, long._

Nothing for a bit. Some shuffling from within. A pause. A voice. Unmistakable.

"Good lord, Lucius, if that is you, and at this hour, I swear to Merlin I will make the Dark Lord's punishments pale in-"

"It's not Lucius," Rome interrupted bemusedly.

Another pause, longer this time.

"Lupin?" said the now cautious voice behind the door.

"Ah, an old student," replied Rome, opting for the truth. He heard the cottage's occupant halt breathing. His immortal hearing also detected a heart-rate spike. More pausing.

Suddenly, a black-clad arm snaked through the doorway. Instinctively, Prometheus ducked. A deadly ribbon of electric green shot over his head and Rome rammed the door as hard as he could and then pushed through the small crack by the doorjam.

Snape was aiming his wand point-blank at Rome's face and Rome slapped it away across the room. The professor moved to strike him back but Rome was far too quick. He leaped on top of Snape and pinned him to the floor, knocking over some piece of furniture in the process. Rome looked directly into the professor's widened eyes and snarled with bared fangs, "Don't try anything stupid, Severus Snape!"

It took some real effort, as Rome was sitting on his chest but the greasy-haired man managed to say gruffly, "Do you always greet your former professors in such an impolite manner?" In spite of himself, Rome laughed! Snape had his imperious demeanor honed so well he sounded affronted even when he was facing utter destruction.

Apparently the sight of a laughing vampire with fully-bared fangs was quite unnerving, for only then did Rome smell the scent of fear in the air. This, in turn, caused him to laugh even more.

"What do you want, Potter?" Snape demanded from the floor.

"Don't you _ever_ call me that again!" Prometheus growled threateningly, squeezing off the man's air, going from amused to deadly in a heartbeat.

"As you wish," Snape coughed as Rome pressed a claw-like hand against his windpipe.

"That's right," Rome affirmed, "I'm in charge now. And don't you forget that." He slowly started to climb off the professor when he continued, "I'll let you up. Just don't try anything foolish."

"I appear to be at a disadvantage with you now anyway," Snape remarked coolly, picking himself up gingerly from off the floor. He began dusting himself off as he said, "However, you have yet to answer my question. What do you want...?"

"How do you know I want something?"

Snape rolled his eyes before sarcastically replying, "If you wanted to kill me, quite clearly you would have already done so."

"Fair point," Rome said dryly.

"What is it you wish me to call you? 'Hey you?'"

Prometheus thought this over a moment before responding with the only answer that seemed right. "You may call me 'Prometheus'. And I'm here because I want you to do something for me. Something...challenging which requires a man of your, ah, particular talents."

Snape folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"No doubt you have noticed the change in my physical status."

"You're an immortal vampire, you mean. I, along with a few others, have long suspected that to be the case."

"Yes, well, I need a special potion which will allow me to function without drinking blood, or at least drinking only minimal amounts of blood. And I want it to dampen my sensitivity to sunlight so I can move about during the daytime."

Smirking, Snape said snappishly, "You don't ask for much, do you?"

But Rome could tell that his old professor was relishing such a challenge.

"And I require it as soon as possible."

Severus got a dark look as he said, "My best potions stores are, of course, at Hogwarts. Assuming you don't want anybody else to know what I'm doing, this would require clandestine movements which would take at least a month to execute. But I wouldn't expect a Gryffindor to understand subtlety."

Suddenly Rome disappeared from in front of the professor's eyes. Snape started as the vampire said, from two inches behind his ear, "Care to rephrase that, Severus? As a predator, I now understand stalking at a level the likes of which you never will. You've no doubt discerned that I do not like being a vampire, nor do I care to hunt victims. However, if you displease me...for you I would make an exception. I'm not the forgiving child I once was. Out among my own kind, when it's me or them, one cannot afford to make mistakes. Make certain you don't slip up, Snape."

Snape looked at Rome stonily despite the renewed scent of fear in the air. "You will manufacture and continue to manufacture the potion. This will be in exchange for your life. And don't tell me this doesn't intrigue you. I know you too well. Until next time."

Rome slipped back out the door, vanishing into the night, far more quickly and quietly than he had come. He left a very angry, very perplexed, and very thrilled potions master in his wake.


	9. Manner of Wizard

**CHAPTER NINE:**

**MANNER OF WIZARDS  
**

Neville was making his rounds in the Hogwarts corridors before he went back to Gryffindor tower. He had been accompanied by Luna Lovegood for most of their rounds. They were discussing after school plans when they approached the kitchens. A familiar misty voice was heard as Trelawney exited out of the portrait hole.

She seemed to not notice them but focused on the tarot cards she was holding while muttering to herself. The two students were reluctant to approach the professor as she came closer to them, still mumbling.

"Professor?" Luna asked cautiously walking up to her, "Is everything alright?" Trelawney's magnified eyes turned to Luna. She quickly held her cards to her chest.

"Yes, quite alright my dear child but thank you for your kindness," Trelawney said in her usual misty tone. Neville shrugged his shoulders as she walked passed them but she suddenly stopped. Her cards fell to the ground as she spoke in a raspy voice.

"Once thought dead, the Dark lord now resides within another evil form. One of his own kind will arise with an intact soul and vanquish him with a final strike. Then immortal may become mortal again." Neville and Luna stood, stock-still, unsure of what to do or say.

Trelawney gave a great shudder, as if something cold ran up her spine and whirled around. She and the two students just stared at each other for a time. Then Luna bent down and picked up Trelawney's tarot cards and handed them back to her. The professor hiccoughed and thanked her, with Neville gawking at the pair of women the entire time. Then in a whirl of scarves and beads, Trelawney started down the hall as if nothing at all had happened.

Once she was out of earshot, Neville faced Luna and said, "Did you see that? It looked like she didn't even know she did that weird voice thing! What do you think she was doing?"

"Isn't it obvious, Neville?" Luna replied. "The professor just gave a prophecy. I think we should tell Dumbledore about it at once."

"Oh, of course," said Neville.

And the two of them quickly went to the headmaster's office, despite the late hour.

Neville timidly hesitated before he went to knock on the Headmaster's door. Luna beat him to it and within moments Dumbledore beckoned them in. They both entered his office. The elderly man sat at his desk looking at both teens with caution.

"Now, what has brought you here so late this evening?" he asked the students. Once again, Luna answered before Neville could.

"It's Professor Trelawney, sir. We think she made a real prophecy just a few minutes ago," Luna reported as Neville nodded in agreement. Dumbledore looked between them in intrigue. He remained silent for a few moments more.

"What was it that she said, Mr. Longbottom?" Dumbledore questioned Neville. Neville gulped a few times then he replied.

"Once thought dead, the Dark lord now resides within another evil form. One of his own kind will arise with an intact soul and vanquish him with a final strike. Then immortal may become mortal again," Neville said. They could tell that the professor was in deep thought of what he was just told.

"I appreciate you coming to me with this valuable information," Dumbledore as he excused them. "I must insist you do not discuss with anybody what you have heard tonight." Both agreed, said their goodbyes, and left the office.

The perplexed professor sat at his desk; he had half expected this. He knew that what happened during the summer was not the end to Voldemort. He had hoped to have taught Harry more about he needed to know but such as life things changed. Now there was some hope but would he be willing or able to do what still needed to be done?

"Madam Adonna, please come to my office. Something of some importance has just come to my attention." Dumbledore called to a nearby empty portrait. Within seconds, Madam Adonna entered into his office with a look of inquiry on her face.

"You called for me, Albus?" she said as she sat down across from him.

"Yes, I did, apparently Sybill has made another prophecy that Mr. Longbottom and Miss Lovegood happened to hear earlier this evening," he said soberly. "I had begun to suspect in recent weeks, but to me this just confirms it. I fear that Voldemort has not yet been Vanquished."

"Surely not!" Adonna exclaimed.

"Oh yes," continued Dumbledore. "Again, according to Trelawney's most recent prophecy, he is likely hiding in the body of another, much like how he did with Professor Quirrell six years ago, " he concluded.

"So Voldemort is still here…yet Harry's gone?" the healer inquired of the elderly man, who shook his head in return.

"He's not gone, but he is missing. You see I was not able to show Harry everything that he needed to know about Voldemort. That would be why the evil man still remains. Horace Slughorn was here because I needed Harry to help me retrieve a memory explaining everything," Dumbledore said, "as I was not so successful in retrieving that particular item."

"I can see if Horace and try retrieving the memory from him myself?" Adonna offered.

Yes, if you could, please," Dumbledore said. "Your particular talents in that area far eclipse my own. Once we have the memory we need a way to send it to only Harry."

"That is if he is still on our side," Adonna added cautiously. Dumbledore sighed in agreement.

"Precisely that," Dumbledore said, quietly. "But we can only hope. Do not discuss with anyone, least of all Horace, what I have disclosed to you here. I shall inform Snape and nobody else."

* * *

As it was a full moon, Rome and Dora were very carefully picking their way through the Dark Forest.

It was very late at night and they came across a hunting group of vampires. There were three of them, and they were taunting what looked like a wounded animal.

That in itself wasn't so strange. Scavenger-type vampires who were hungry often found preying on the local wildlife as amusing, and the blood was something with which to fill their bellies.

One of the vampires took a sharp stick and impaled the animal and it howled weakly. It was then Rome realized that it was a werewolf.

He turned to Pandora and said, "I thought that vampires avoided werewolves?"

"Most of the time, yes, but these vampires…" she said disgustedly, "…these vampires wait for the werewolf to transform back into a human so they can drink its blood the next morning. It's one of the most heinous crimes a vampire can commit," she spat, "drinking the tainted blood of a werewolf." She looked on the other vampires with open revulsion at the thought of what they were going to do.

It was then that Prometheus noticed something familiar about the werewolf. The color of its fur, the way it moved, the way it howled…

He swore explosively, almost giving away their position, when Pandora angrily shooshed him.

Rome apologized and then explained, "You don't understand—that's Moony! I know him!"

Pandora looked at him incredulously and said, "Let me get this straight—you know a werewolf?"

"Yes, and he's my friend. We have to save him!"

The vampyress stood stock-still and glared at Rome. "If you think I'm going to help you save one of those—things—you're sorely mistaken. You're on your own here, Prometheus. If you wish, we'll meet up later." And then she disappeared into the trees behind them.

The vampire who had impaled the werewolf now roughly removed the stick from the werewolf's gut. Blood gushed from the wound and stained its fur.

It was then that Rome chose to strike. He removed his black cloak and left it in the undergrowth. Then he ran into the center of the melee, grabbed the stick from the vampire who was holding it and knocked him out with a sharp blow to the head. The other two, a male and female, had closed in. The vampyress flew toward him and he waited for her to approach just close enough so that he could lash out with the stick, but she avoided his swinging, when the other vampire came at him from behind. He slashed into Rome's back. Rome ducked and rolled defensively, still carrying the stick with him. He whirled about, standing back up, caught the female unawares and impaled her through the chest. Prometheus broke off the long stick about halfway up so that part of it still remained embedded in her heart. She remained motionless on the ground.

Rome and the last vampire stood circling each other, waiting for the other to make a move. The vampire opposite Prometheus feinted a blow to the left but instead flipped around and came up behind Rome and knocked him to the ground. As his face hit the ground, Rome tasted his own blood. He bounced back up immediately, flipped up and over the other vampire, and bludgeoned his head with the rest of the stick. Red poured out of the other vampire's mouth and nose and he was all but senseless. Rome felt an almost uncontrollable desire to impale this vampire with the large stick in his hands, but he resisted. Instead, he just shoved him down and crushed the back of his skull with his heel, making sure he got a face full of dirt. That ought to keep him down for awhile, thought Rome with satisfaction. He turned immediately to his werewolf friend.

"Moony?" Prometheus detected no movement. After putting on his cloak, he picked up the werewolf and carefully slung him around his shoulders.

* * *

In what otherwise would've been back-breaking laborious work, Prometheus carried the werewolf through the Forbidden Forest. He was amazed at how light Moony was for him. Rome seriously doubted that as a mortal, he could have even hauled the werewolf by himself. Even though Moony was his friend, the scent of the blood seeping out of the werewolf's wounds sickened Rome. That was evidently another trait of the vampire virus that Dora had failed to tell him about. In one way, he was grateful for it, because at least this blood didn't make him want to feed.

Rome had no doubt in his mind as to where he would take Moony. Hagrid would know what to do for him. But how would he get Moony onto the Hogwarts grounds? How could he keep Hagrid from recognizing him?

Prometheus picked out the outline of the giant boars lining either side of the gates. He picked out a large individual from outside the gates. Hagrid seemed to have been waiting for him! Holding out his large lantern, Hagrid watched as Rome approached with Moony across his shoulders.

"What manner of wizard are yeh?" he inquired suspiciously. "What have yeh done ter that werewolf?" Hagrid's voice was instantly full of concern as Moony whimpered.

"I've done nothing to him. I'm a friend," Rome said, doing his best to disguise his voice. It wasn't too difficult, as his features were obscured by his cloak. Carrying a werewolf about one's shoulders also hides one's face quite nicely.

"Let's bring him inside the hut," insisted Hagrid. Rome kept himself from sighing with relief. Hagrid kept throwing him surreptitious glances.

They stepped inside Hagrid's home and Prometheus gently set the werewolf on the table.

After looking at the wound through Moony's chest and checking him over, Rome asked quietly, "Will he live?"

"Barely, especially if I get some help from Madam Adonna."

"Good." Rome began making his way for the door.

"What manner of wizard are yeh, that yeh can carry a werewolf by yourself?"

Rome ignored him and moved even faster. He had to get out of there…

"And yeh care about this werewolf. What manner of wizard are yeh?" Hagrid demanded and began charging after Prometheus.

"You must be mistaken. I can't be a wizard. I'm…just…Harry." Then Rome turned back to the half-giant and they shared a brief glance as Hagrid's eyes grew huge. Once again, the vampire exited and vanished into the night.


	10. The Golden Problem

**CHAPTER TEN:**

**THE GOLDEN PROBLEM  
**

Remus slowly came to a couple days after the attack. He found his very worried but now relieved wife by his bedside. Madams Pomfrey and Adonna had Remus sequestered away in a far corner of the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Adonna walked in a moment later with potions and other items.

"You are one very lucky man, Remus," Adonna said as she looked over his wounds. "Those vampires really worked you over. Luckily, Hagrid brought you here when he did."

"Actually…I wasn't the one who found him… it was…" Hagrid trailed off.

The half-giant had been unusually silent the past few days, and Dumbledore seemed to be the only one who knew why. As everyone expectantly looked at Hagrid to finish his sentence, it was the headmaster who did it for him.

"What he's trying to say, Remus, is that it was none other than our own Harry who rescued you."

Silence swept the room as everyone contemplated the meaning of Dumbledore's words.

"So, Remus…succeeded in his mission?" Nymphadora broke the silence.

"He did a great deal more than that, my dear," the elder gentleman continued. "Remus not only discovered Harry is still alive, in a sense, but that he's not like other vampires."

"He sure isn't," continued Hagrid at last. "He wouldn't leave my hut until I got ter tell 'im that Remus would live."

Lupin spoke very softly from his bed, "Most vampires avoid werewolves like the plague. It's something about the scent of our blood. It makes them ill. Also…I don't remember much because I was so badly injured, but I was deep in the Forbidden Forest where Harry found me. He had to have carried me quite a distance to bring me back to Hogwarts."

"Why would he choose to avoid us, though?" Nymphadora asked.

Remus took her hand and replied, "I can answer that, too. Most likely he doesn't wish for us to see him as he is now. I'm certain he views himself as a monster. I know what that's like." His wife kissed his forehead as he continued, "He knows he's dangerous to all of us now, so rather than tempt fate and risk turning anybody he knows into a vampire, he'd rather avoid the lot of us."

"That sounds like a very sad and lonely existence," Adonna said, "but clearly he's been thriving. Let's hope that continues to be the case."

"Indeed, Madam Adonna," said Dumbledore, "indeed."

* * *

Once more, Shantiel walked towards the headmaster's office where both Dumbledore and Madam Adonna were waiting. A small golden ball fluttered inside of her hand. Adonna had summoned her a few minutes ago and asked that she bring the Snitch with her. They never said what it was for but she could sense that it was of utmost importance.

Dumbledore and Adonna both looked up as the girl quietly walked into the room. She wasn't expecting to see Snape standing there in the darkened corner with his usual displeased expression on his face.

"You called for me, Professor Dumbledore?" Shantiel asked curiously. Dumbledore nodded as he sat in his chair. "Yes, I did," he answered, gesturing to

a chair in front of his desk. "I see that you brought the item that was requested of you." Shantiel held out the tiny ball and placed it on his desk. "Ah, thank you, Miss Tonks." He smiled at her. "I realize how important this item is to you," he continued. "I wouldn't ask you to hand it over lightly."

Adonna put her hand on Shantiel's shoulder. The blonde girl couldn't imagine what Dumbledore could possibly need with a Snitch, but if he needed it, it was far from Shantiel to tell him 'no'. As it appeared they required nothing else of her, Shan took one last glance at the Snitch, turned around, and slipped out the door.

"I still think that sending out the Snitch is a very ridiculous idea, Headmaster," Snape spoke with mild irritation. "Who knows if this whole thing will go as planned?"

"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said, keeping his tone. "I feel that this method would be better received than by using Hedwig," the headmaster concluded. "As I have told Adonna before, our best method is to hope." He turned toward the healer and thanked her for her assistance and she walked out the door.

Snape pounced again. "Headmaster, if that memory from Slughorn is really as important as you say it is, do you honestly believe sending the thing out in a Snitch is the best idea? Who knows if Potter will even figure out he's supposed to open it?"

"I know things about that Snitch which you do not, Severus. Harry will figure it out eventually. And even if he does not, he will have you to help him."

Dumbledore looked at Snape over the top of his half-moon glasses, and not for the first time, Severus wondered if the elder man already knew he was speaking with Harry. The Slytherin professor shook himself and walked out of the office.

* * *

Severus Snape paced the floor in his study. It seemed to him he was doing a lot of pacing lately, and most of it concerned Harry Potter. Or Prometheus. Or whatever the bloody hell he called himself now. The boy caused quite an uproar with his reappearance at Hagrid's hut a few nights previously. So much for his laying low. Typical bleeding heart Gryffindor move to rescue the werewolf and then run away.

And this matter of what Dumbledore wanted to do with Slughorn's memory. If it was as crucial as the headmaster claimed it was, why send it off on such a perilous journey to reach the intended recipient? Severus could swear sometimes the old man was going batty.

Although Severus had always suspected it, now it was a virtual certainty with the latest prophecy floating around that the Dark Lord had not yet been vanquished. He was out lurking about somewhere, just as he had in the past, waiting for the precise moment to strike. It was indeed challenging now attempting to serve three masters, but it was also becoming somewhat of a headache. How was he expected to keep track of all three of them when they wouldn't stay where they belonged?

* * *

Shantiel felt as if she were a broken record, having approached Hermione again and again about helping her research books in the Restricted Section, but the bushy-haired girl had never once complained. Normally it required signatures from one of the professors, but Dumbledore had taken the time to explain that Harry's best friends needed full reign over the library, much to Madam Pince's annoyance.

Several times, it seemed as if Shan and Hermione were coming close to a breakthrough, only to discover no real means existed of reversing vampiric immortality. Hermione gently suggested that perhaps there wasn't a cure, and that if there was, it would be far more widely known. Shantiel's own counter-suggestion held weight, too. She suggested the cure might not be known because of it being so dangerous that even immortals didn't dare try it. It seemed far-fetched, but it did make sense.

* * *

Countless times Hermione had gone into the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library, and countless times she had come to discover nothing to help reverse Harry's condition. At first, she was certain like Shantiel was that they would be able to find a cure amongst all the thousands of tomes, but then time went on and she began to lose hope. Now, she didn't know quite what to believe, but it was akin to giving up on Harry if she stopped looking. If the situation were reversed, she knew Harry would never quit or give up on her. So despite the mounting odds, she determined to keep plugging along…

* * *

Rome woke to find himself next to the very pond where Shantiel had offered herself to him some weeks before. He hadn't realized that was where he had fallen asleep.

His thoughts wheeling on that particular moment of what Shantiel did as he stared off into the fading starry sky. His soul ached with unforgiving guilt remembering how he outright lied to the girl, but he reminded himself that it needed to be done and he needed to forget that world…he didn't belong there anymore… This was where he now belonged…

He ran his hands through his unkempt hair. Twigs snapped from somewhere to his left and he quickly became more alert. An ambush was something he did not need. Something that almost seemed to be glowing was moving toward him. He realized it wasn't anything to be afraid of, for it was a Golden Snitch. Rome caught the metallic ball. He opened his hand and looked at it. He swallowed a couple times while staring at it with a bittersweet feeling. Thought it seemed impossible, this was the very same Snitch that he had planned on giving to Shan for her birthday. So, she had given it away instead of keeping it. He couldn't blame her for feeling that way.

A combination of emotions came over him and the guilt he felt earlier rekindled itself. He read the inscription on the ball. He then vowed to himself that he had to make it up to the girl for what he had done to hurt her. Somehow, he just hoped she would understand it was what he needed to do. He sighed and pocketed the ball before returning back to the cave.

Pandora had walked to the pond's edge where she knew Prometheus would be. He had been returning to the spot for the past two weeks. Prometheus didn't often let her know his thoughts, but she could guess what they were. Thoughts of how he hated Pandora and her collaborators for what they had done, thoughts of how he missed home, the ones he loved, and especially his Shan. The vampyress was fascinated with Rome's undying devotion to the girl. She took a deep breath before she approached him.

"Rome?" She finally spoke but he answered with silence for a time. He didn't look at her and just stared at his dragon ring.

"I wanted to give her my first Snitch for her birthday. I know it sounds cheesy but to me, it symbolized how we were…" Rome said softly. "Something inside of me died when I lied to her that night… The look in her eyes was…" His voice caught on the last word. He cleared his throat before he continued. "I should be over it and it's pathetic dwelling on something I can't hope to change…"

Pandora approached him and touched his shoulder from behind. She had never seen him look so lost before. For the first time, she seriously began to regret having turned Harry Potter into a vampire. It was clearly not something he'd ever wanted, and she doubted it was something he could ever grow to accept.

"Rome…Harry…I'm—"

He turned around to face her, and suddenly found himself in her arms. His emotions welled up in his heart so much, he leaned down and gave Pandora a lingering passionate kiss.

Her eyes flew open wide after they finished kissing. Rome's eyes mirrored her own and he choked out, "I'm…I'm sorry…"

She clasped his hands in her own and replied, "It's okay, I understand, you didn't mean it."

"No, I…just…"

"You miss her that badly."

Prometheus looked downcast at his hands in hers and nodded.

"It's okay. Come on, let's take you back to the cave, we can't have you around the others like this."

* * *

"Zeus has been wondering where you've been running off," Apollo jumped into conversation immediately.

"What, no 'hello'? Pandora said innocently.

"Stop playing, it really doesn't become you," replied Apollo in a bored voice.

"What have you been telling him?" asked Pandora.

"Nothing, because he hasn't been asking me, specifically."

"Good. And that's how it should stay."

"You realize, of course, he's going to get angry that the captain of his guards is shirking her duties?"

"Why the concern, Apollo?"

He pranced around for a bit and replied, "It's not…concern for you, precisely."

Pandora smirked and said, "Worried he's going to pick you to bully once he gets angry?"

Apollo got a dark look on his face and growled, "It's not funny."

"Oh, but it is! Zeus is the only vampire in the coven with more of an ego than you!"

"Pity he's your boyfriend, then, eh?"

Now it was Pandora's turn to growl. "He's been the noose around my neck for centuries."

"He was the one to turn you, was he not?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" she hissed.

"Only everything," Apollo said. "It's the real reason you want his power. It's an act of revenge. And it's a beautiful thing." The vampire got a gleam in his eyes that let Pandora know he wasn't quite sane. Oh, the individuals she had to trust to carry out her plan! If only there were somebody else…but Epimetheus was even more of a problem than Apollo.

Pandora's war would come—that was certain. It was just a matter of timing. Prometheus's involvement was crucial—as was telling him of his involvement in it. Exactly when was Pandora to tell him of his role in her plan?


	11. Dumbledore's Folly

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:**

**DUMBLEDORE'S FOLLY  
**

Severus Snape sat in his hovel, awaiting the return of his former student, Harry Potter. The secret knock came at the door. Not for the first time, Severus wondered who had told Potter about it.

Snape had the garnet-red potion ready to give to him. It was the third time Potter had come to pick up a batch of it. Typically, the boy just walked in, thanked Severus, and then left. This time, however, he was drawn to something else in the center of the room.

"Dumbledore's Pensieve. What are _you_ doing with it?" he asked accusingly.

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Snape said, "Don't worry, it was he who suggested I take it. What business is it of yours?" Severus had to bite his tongue to keep from adding the "Potter" onto the end of his last sentence.

"I've just never seen it outside the castle."

"Speaking of which," Snape segued, "aren't you the slightest bit curious about why Dumbledore loaned it to me?"

"You have a lot of thoughts…to think about?"

This time, Snape's eyes did roll heavenward and he groaned, "Have you always had such a way with words, or did you have to work at it?"

"Get to the point." Rome folded his arms, pursed his lips, and looked dangerous.

"Fine. You brought the Snitch?"

"Yes, but why would it interest you?"

"I have no real interest in it. It is Dumbledore who wishes me to explain to you how to open it."

Rome's eyes opened wide and he queried, "Open it? There's something inside it?" He held the ball to his ear and shook it a little.

"Idiot!" Severus shouted, "You could damage the thing. Snitches have a skin memory. That's how Dumbledore knows it was your first Snitch. Press your lips to it and say the words, 'I have already died', and hold it over the Pensieve."

Prometheus carefully held the Snitch to his lips and whispered the words, and the small golden ball unlocked itself. He watched as silvery wisps escaped from the cracks and into his hand. Rome took the ball from his hand and slid it back in his pocket and let the silver wisps slide out of his other hand and into the Pensieve. Immediately, the calm surface began swirling with the memory. He looked up at Snape.

"Well?" said the Slytherin professor as he gestured expansively.

Rome sighed shortly, held his breath, and pressed his face into the surface of the Pensieve. He found himself falling through the dark and landed in an office from some years past. A far younger-looking Horace Slughorn sat comfortably front of him in a winged armchair, a glass of wine in one hand, whilst the other hand was hovering over a box of sugared pineapple.

Arrayed around him were a group of boys of all ages but Tom Riddle stood out most plainly of all, and was quite clearly their leader. Marvolo's gold-and-black ring was quite noticeable on Tom's finger.

Riddle asked if it was true if Professor Merrythought was retiring. Slughorn waggled a finger at him, explaining that he couldn't say even if he knew, then he complimented Riddle by mentioning he was more knowledgeable than half the staff at Hogwarts. Tom and the other boys seemed to laugh at inside jokes every time Professor Slughorn said something. Slughorn didn't seem to understand the boys were laughing _at_ him more if not so much as _with_ him.

Then Slughorn said that Riddle would go extremely far in the Ministry, possibly obtaining the title of Minister of Magic in as little as fifteen years. Riddle disagreed with him, mentioning that politics didn't suit him…nor did he have the right background. Once again, the gang of boys laughed with one another.

"Nonsense," said Slughorn briskly, "couldn't be plainer you come from decent Wizarding stock, abilities like yours. No, you'll go far, Tom, I've never been wrong about a student yet."

Suddenly, the small mantel clock in Slughorn's office chimed 11 o'clock, causing him to look around. He admonished the boys to get going, lest they all be in trouble for being out of bed so late.

One by one, the boys quickly left the office—all of them except Tom Riddle, who hung back.

"Sir," he began, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, then, m'boy, ask away…"

"Sir, I wondered what you know about…about Horcruxes?"

Staring at him, Slughorn let his thick fingers absentmindedly roll around the stem of his wine glass.

"Project for Defense Against the Dark Arts, is it?"

But Harry could tell that Slughorn was perfectly aware the subject had nothing to do with schoolwork.

"Not exactly, sir," said Riddle. "I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it."

"No…well…you'd be hard-pushed to find a book at Hogwarts that'll give you details on Horcruxes, Tom, that's very dark stuff, very Dark indeed," said Slughorn.

All of the artful hesitancy and careful flattery that flowed out of Riddle's mouth toward Slughorn in the ensuing conversation was indicative of a master at work. Had Rome not known Riddle was doing this for some dark purpose, he almost could have admired Tom's skill.

Horace internally appeared to rationalize how it could possibly be okay to discuss the subject of Horcruxes with a young school boy. "Well," he said finally, "I suppose it can't hurt to give you an overview, of course. Just so that you understand the term. A Horcrux is the word used for an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul."

"I don't quite understand how that works, though, sir," said Riddle.

His voice was carefully controlled, but Rome could easily sense his excitement.

"Well, you split your soul, you see," said Slughorn, "and hide part of it in an object outside the body. Then, even if one's body is attacked or destroyed, one cannot die, for part of the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But of course, existence in such a form…"

The professor's face crumpled and Prometheus found himself remembering words he had heard nearly two years before: "_I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost…but still, I was alive."_

"…few would want it, Tom, very few. Death would be preferable."

But Riddle's hunger was now apparent; his expression was greedy, he could no longer hide his longing.

"How do you split your soul?"

"Well," said Slughorn uncomfortably, "you must understand that the soul is to remain intact and whole. Splitting is an act of violation, it is against nature."

"But how do you do it?"

"By an act of evil—the supreme act of evil. By committing murder. Killing rips the soul apart. The wizard intent upon creating a Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: He would encase the torn portion—"

"Encase? But how-?"

"There is a spell, do not ask me, I don't know!" yelled Slughorn, shaking his head like an old elephant bothered by mosquitoes. "Do I look as though I have tried it—do I look like a killer?"

"No, sir, of course not," said Riddle quickly. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to offend…"

"Not at all, not at all, not offended," said Slughorn gruffly. "It's natural to feel some curiosity about these things… Wizards of a certain caliber have always been drawn to that aspect of magic…"

To Slughorn's horror, however, Riddle went on to "academically" discuss how one Horcrux couldn't possibly be of much use, when seven, the most powerfully magical number, should be better.

"Merlin's beard, Tom!" yelped Slughorn "Seven! Isn't it bad enough to think of killing one person? And in any case…bad enough to divide the soul…but to rip it in seven pieces…"

Slughorn looked deeply troubled now: he was gazing at Riddle as though he had never seen him plainly before, and Rome could tell that he was regretting having entered into the conversation at all. He began muttering to himself and then admonished Riddle to keep quiet about their chat over Horcruxes. It turned out that Dumbledore was particularly fierce about keeping the subject out of the walls of Hogwarts.

"I won't say a word, sir," said Riddle, and he left, but not before Rome had glimpsed his face, which was full of that same wild happiness it had worn when he had first found out that he was a wizard, the sort of happiness that did not enhance his handsome features, but made them, somehow, less human…

It was then the memory ended and Rome faded out of it and back to looking at the Pensieve in front of Severus Snape.

"That explains why he hasn't died…" Prometheus muttered aloud. Then he turned to Snape as he realized, "You told Dumbledore you were helping me?"

"I'm not a fool, Prometheus," Severus snapped. "I told him nothing, yet he seemed to guess it anyway."

Rome smirked and replied, "I should've known he'd be able to figure it out."

Snape folded his arms and agreeing, "He does have a rather annoying penchant for doing so, yes. Incidentally, he would like to arrange a meeting with you."

Prometheus stopped in his tracks and stared. "That's just not going to happen." Then he gathered up the memory back into the Snitch and went to leave Snape's flat.

"What do you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him if it's a meeting he wants, he'll have to wait a long time to get it. He's going to have to find somebody else to fight his battles for him now."


	12. A Forsaken Arising

Dear Readers,

I'm gonna take the time to get a bit angry here. This story now has nearly 27,000 words and not a single review. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU PEOPLE? Clearly, individuals keep coming back for more and reading it-I can tell by how many hits I'm getting.

Think about it. Fan fiction writers never, ever get paid for their work. The only way they can know if they're doing well or not is by your feedback. I don't care if this story isn't your cup of tea, and while I would prefer for your reviews to be positive, I can't know how to improve unless you explain how it can be done. Please put yourself in my [and especially my friend DJ Vivian's] shoes and think about how you'd feel after writing thousands of words and never getting a single peep of encouragement. Reviews are your way of "paying" us, you might say. So do me a favor and say something, not just to me, but to the other people who write stories you choose to read. It's only right. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Rae Carson

PS. Enjoy the chapter.

**CHAPTER TWELVE:**

**A FORSAKEN ARISING  
**

Severus walked into the Headmaster's office three days following his last visit with Rome. He sat in the chair looking unseeingly at one of the portraits before Dumbledore walked to his desk. His piercing eyes saw behind the Potion Masters' barrier.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted him and Snape nodded in response. "I take it that he saw and knows about Horace's memory?"

"Yes, Headmaster. However, he refuses to acquiesce to your request to meet him," Snape said coolly. "He said that you need to find someone else to do the job." Dumbledore nodded but remained silent for a few minutes before speaking again.

"I see," the headmaster said, with a hint of sadness in his tone. "That is most regrettable. Thankfully, I have been preparing for such an occurrence. I had hoped it wouldn't come to this but it must," the elderly professor said, gazing out of the window.

"Come to what, sir?" Severus asked with a hint of irritation to the professor's vagueness. Dumbledore stroked his beard in thought.

"Well, Harry is right. He isn't the only one who is able to destroy Voldemort once and for all. If you haven't forgotten, Shantiel is the other chosen one. So, if needed, she could be the one to destroy Voldemort."

"But the girl knows even less about where he is and far less how he must be destroyed then Potter does." Snape had half-expected this to happen and once again found himself questioning the sanity of the man sitting across from him.

"That is true, Severus, but what else can we do if Harry isn't willing to do so?" Dumbledore said somberly.

"I expect that you want me to summon the girl?" asked Severus without any emotion.

"No, Shantiel has already knows that I expect to speak with her this evening. As such, it may change Harry's mind about what he needs to do," Dumbledore said as he stood to let the professor out.

"Very well, Headmaster," Snape said, standing from his chair.

* * *

As Hermione walked the school corridors that week, she noticed something particularly odd. Usually, Hagrid went out of his way to say hello to her, Ron, and Harry. Now whenever she saw him, he avoided her gaze. He was hefting in one of the traditional twelve large Christmas trees which adorned the Great Hall. Hermione attempted getting his attention but he seemed determined to ignore her. It was then that she decided it had been too long since she and Ron had paid the half-giant one of their traditional visits. It was also time to take Shantiel along as well.

Shan, Ron, and Hermione all made their way down to Hagrid's hut that evening. Shortly after bolting down their dinner (midst complaints from Ron about eating too quickly,) they bundled up and trudged out into the snow. Hermione knocked on the door. They heard heavy-footed stepping and Hagrid opened the door a crack.

"Oi, it's you three. I should a' known yeh'd be comin' round here sooner or later."

"Now what kind of greeting is that, Hagrid?" asked Hermione. "We haven't been down here to see you all school year, yet you don't want us for company?"

"No, it's nuthin' like that…"

"Then what is it?" Ron said.

"Well, erm, I've just been rather busy helpin' ou' with Lupin, his bein' hurt an' all…"

"Remus Lupin's been hurt? I knew it! I thought I heard something about him in the hospital wing!" exclaimed Hermione.

Hagrid looked crestfallen and said, "I shouldn't'a said that…"

"Said what?" asked Ron. "The bit about Lupin?"

"Well, y'see, he wouldn't'a been round, 'cept he was helping us find Har—" suddenly, Hagrid clamped a large hand to his mouth and stopped speaking.

"So you are looking for Harry!" Shantiel shouted excitedly.

"Well, o' course we are!" answered Hagrid. "Yeh just don't leave the Boy Who Lived ou' in the forest alone an' not try ter find 'im!"

Shantiel didn't quite know what to make of being shouted at by the half-giant, but she was so grateful that someone was still trying to find Harry that she began to cry softly in spite of herself. Hermione leaned over to comfort her.

"Oh, fer the love of Gryffindor," Hagrid said, "c'mon inside."

The students spent a good hour at Hagrid's place. They were curious to know why Dumbledore wanted to keep the information about Harry such a secret. Hagrid explained how the headmaster didn't want more rumors flying around, and most importantly, he didn't want to worry or concern Shantiel, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, nor anyone else over what was going on with Harry.

"After all," said Hagrid, "there was always the chance he was dead."

"That's true," Hermione replied. "No need to get our hopes up, I suppose."

Shan got to the point straightaway and asked, "Have you found Harry?"

Hagrid pursed his lips together, appearing to decide whether or not to share this information with them and eventually decided he should. "Yes," he answered, "but it's complicated."

"What does that mean?" asked Ron.

Hermione said, "It probably means Harry's out there, but he won't come back."

Hagrid looked at her sharply but nodded. Shantiel looked downcast yet spoke aloud anyway. "Did Harry rescue Lupin?"

"He sure did," answered Hagrid proudly. "Harry didn't want me ter see him at first, but I asked who he was and he let me know."

"So he wants us to know he's out there…" Ron began.

"…but he probably doesn't want to risk turning us like himself…" continued Hermione.

"…and he doesn't want us to see him as a vampire," Shantiel finished. "So he's all alone."

Hagrid nodded sadly. "Dumbledore said he also wants ter speak with you, Shan."

Shantiel looked curiously at the half-giant and asked, "Do you know what it's about?"

"Nope, haven't heard a thing. I was going to tell you tomorrow, but tonight's as good as any now. You three had best be gettin' back to the castle. I'll walk you up there."

As the conversation seemed to have come to its natural end, Hermione, Shantiel, and Ron put on their winter gear and trudged back up to the castle in the snow. Thanks to Hagrid's indiscretion, they had learned more than they bargained for that night.

* * *

Prometheus sat in the crook of a snow-covered tree with one arm draped across his knee. He and Pandora were amicably discussing vampiric life at length. She sat on a branch opposite him, mirroring his position.

"Why are you so talkative tonight, Prometheus?" asked Pandora.

Rome avoided her question entirely by asking one of his own. "Speaking of 'Prometheus', why is it you started calling me that?"

Dora paused for an inordinately long time. Then she spoke, "Promise you won't laugh?"

"Why would I laugh?" She gave him a hard look. "Fine, fine, I promise I won't laugh," Rome said.

"Well, there's this old legend…" began Dora.

"You call me 'Prometheus' based on a legend?" Rome asked, a hint of amusement in his voice."

"You promised you wouldn't laugh."

"I'm not laughing!"

"Yes you were!"

"Just get on with the story," pleaded Rome.

Pandora sighed and said, "Okay, fine. There's an old vampiric legend which says a vampire leader will rise among his kind during this point in time, just like in ancient times. He's especially evil, showing no mercy to humans, other creatures, or even amongst other vampires. He's ruthless, cunning, and bloodthirsty. It's my belief that—" she stopped herself and quickly looked up at Rome. But he guessed what she was about to say anyway.

"You believe that it's Zeus, don't you?" he said.

"Yes, I do."

"So it's clearly more than a legend to you," Rome deduced.

Pandora nodded. "And…you don't think I'm crazy?" she asked.

"That depends," said Rome.

"On what?"

"Is there more to this legend?"

"Yes, there is. I've only told you half of it."

"The reason why you call me 'Prometheus'...?"

"I'm getting to that. The other part of this legend claims that there will be one to arise and overthrow this leader, once again like in ancient times. He will be like the Greek god Prometheus was—hated by other gods, shunned by his kind. He was called the god with a heart, the only god who was _kind to humans_," she emphasized the last three words and gazed meaningfully at Rome. "There's more," she continued, "this one who will once again overthrow Zeus is supposed to be a vampire himself. He is known as 'the vampire with a soul'."

Prometheus gaped at Pandora for a bit and finally asked, "Are you certain?"

She gave a morbid little laugh and said, "Of course not, it's just supposed to be a legend. At first, I was a skeptic like all the other vampires. It was a nice little story to scare the new sirelings with. However, Rome, the more time I spend with you, the more I believe it to be true."

"So…somehow, I'm supposed to overthrow Zeus?"

"According to the legend, yes. It's a forsaken arising, because all the other vampires are choosing to ignore it, when it's right in front of their noses."

"And just how in the world am I supposed to overthrow him?"

"The legend doesn't say. But I do have some ideas."

* * *

The next evening, Shantiel found herself in Dumbledore's office yet again. "Hagrid told me that you wished to speak with me, sir?"

"Yes, indeed. Please, have a seat," said Dumbledore, gesturing toward the front of his desk.

Shantiel lowered herself down into the chair, gazing curiously at the headmaster.

"I know you're very much wondering why I called you here this evening."

"Yes, sir."

"This time, it isn't to check up on you." He grew a bit somber. "I wish for you to have, ah, extra lessons with me, so I can teach you about things which you and nobody else need to learn. In fact, I must admonish you not to share what you learn with anybody else."

Dumbledore gave Shan a particularly piercing gaze over the top of his spectacles and she answered quietly, "Of course not, sir."

Then something occurred to her. "Are these extra lessons anything at all like what you taught Harry Potter last year?"

"Why, yes," answered Dumbledore in pleasant surprise, "they are. You see, I had originally taught him what he needed to know, and then…something happened."

"He was turned into a vampire, you mean," Shantiel said quietly.

"Not exactly that, but quite close," he answered. He suddenly grew quite serious again. "As the other Chosen One, you are the only one who can help in this situation. You see, Lord Voldemort has not yet been Vanquished."

Shantiel's face fell and she was horrified. "Oh no, sir, we tried—we thought we did it, but I guess we failed!"

Dumbledore reached out across the desk and patted her hand, "I know, it's not your fault. He's an extraordinarily powerful wizard."

"So he's returned, is what you're saying," she said in dismay.

"Yes, he is."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Unfortunately, we don't at the present time."

"Do you wish for me to help look for him, then?"

"In a sense, but those lessons will come in time." Dumbledore stood up and beckoned Shantiel to follow as he said, "Once more into the Pensieve. You've used this before?" he asked her.

"Yes, but only once."

"Ah, good. After you."

Shantiel flexed her hands nervously and put her face into the surface of the Pensieve, falling down into darkness before she hit the ground, or what felt like the ground. Before she knew it, Dumbledore had landed next to her, and Shan was momentarily shocked by the blazing sunlight which appeared in front of her eyes. It was a beautiful day, with a clear blue sky and she and Dumbledore began to follow a plump man with abnormally thick glasses down a beautiful country lane.

"That is Bob Ogden," explained Dumbledore, "the man whose memory we are currently borrowing." The man looked quite awkward and was wearing apparel which was so odd it could only have been worn by a wizard trying to blend in with Muggles. He was wearing a frock coat and spats over a striped one-piece bathing suit. Shantiel had to stifle a laugh as the man suddenly set out briskly down the lane. Dumbledore pointed out that they were headed to a place called "Little Hangleton"…

* * *

Shantiel walked back through the Gryffindor portrait hole after her meeting with Dumbledore. She was concentrating so hard that she nearly tripped. Her mind was swimming with all the things the headmaster had just told her concerning Tom Riddle.

Much to her surprise, Hermione and Ron had waited up for her in the common room. Instead of being surprised by what she had explained to them, they looked as if they knew what she was going to say.

"These are the same lessons that he gave Harry last year, aren't they?" she asked Hermione.

The bushy-hair girl and Ron both nodded and looked as if they felt sorry for her. No, more than that—they looked as though they knew something else.

"What is it?" Shantiel said.

"It's just that, well, if Dumbledore is teaching you about Voldemort, it must mean he's back, right?" Hermione asked quietly.

Shantiel found herself wanting to query Hermione about how she knew such a thing but then she remembered to whom she was talking. Instead, the blonde girl pressed her lips together and slowly nodded.

Ron rubbed his hands over his eyes. "Oh, great. Voldemort's back and we don't even have Harry to help us…"


	13. The Crimson Palace

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN:**

**THE CRIMSON PALACE  
**

As Severus waited for the young vampire, he had every belief that this visit would have similar results to how the first visit went. Prometheus would be beyond livid once he found out that Dumbledore had been teaching Shantiel about Tom Riddle. The secret knock broke his thoughts and he let Rome in.

Prometheus walked inside and grabbed the crimson potion. He stopped as he noticed that the Pensieve was not there.

"So I see you returned the Pensieve," Rome said.

"Yes, Dumbledore needed it for other reasons," Snape said with his arms folded. "Especially after what you told me about him needing to find someone else to do the job." He was enjoying dangling this information in front of Prometheus.

"So he found someone else then?" Rome attempted to ask casually. Severus could tell how interested he was, though. He hid a smirk before answering Rome.

"Of course he did," Snape began, "the headmaster is nothing if not resourceful." He prepared himself for the inevitable outburst from the young man in front of him.

Prometheus gave him an impatient look as the professor continued to pause. "Meaning what?" he prompted the professor.

"Meaning that he is giving Shantiel Tonks lessons to prepare her for the task at hand." He saw anger flash in Rome's eyes.

"What?" Rome said, as he bared his fangs and moved dangerously close to the professor, almost pinning him to the wall. "_What did you say_?" Rome repeated again with a growl.

"I said that since you refused Dumbledore's offer, he was forced to call upon the other chosen one to do it instead," Severus said, standing his ground to the infuriated vampire.

After a moment, Prometheus sighed angrily and backed away from Snape, which in turn allowed him to step away from the wall.

"I can't believe he's involving Shan in this," he muttered, raking his hands through his hair.

"Believe it," said Snape, "he had her in his office for 'extra lessons' three days ago." Rome growled again, thinking to himself. He paced the floor for a few minutes before saying, "All right, fine. Tell Dumbledore I will agree to meet with him if—and only if—he ceases teaching Shantiel about Riddle."

"I see," Snape replied. "And where will this meeting be? Hogwarts?"

"Oh, no. It must be on neutral ground, away from students. And most certainly not here. It's up to him to find a suitable place."

"And just how am I supposed to inform you of the location?" said Snape peevishly.

Rome responded as if he were answering somebody particularly daft. "The way regular wizards do. By owl. And don't send Hedwig." And with that, he marched out the door.

* * *

Early one snowy morning, Rita Skeeter showed up in the entry way at Hogwarts. She was attempting to interview students about Harry Potter and his so-called "return from the dead". Unfortunately, it seemed as if someone had overheard Hagrid's conversation with Shantiel, Ron, and Hermione.

The younger students were afraid of Skeeter while the older students simply avoided her, having remembered the previous lies she'd spread in the Daily Prophet. However, she did find one willing party. Draco Malfoy was telling her some story about how Harry Potter had attacked and nearly bitten him.

"But then I fended him off with my wand," continued Draco, "it was a close one."

Rita's Quick-Quotes Quill was scribbling fiendishly. She was fawning over Malfoy. "Oh, was it terribly frightening?"

"It would have been, but I, of course, kept my cool. And I rescued several girls in the process," Draco embellished.

Ron began laughing uproariously and shouted out, "I wouldn't listen to him, Skeeter! Malfoy couldn't defend himself against a pygmy puff!"

Most of the students in the hallway joined in the laughter and Draco shouted at them all to shut up. It simply made them laugh louder. Apparently, Rita didn't care who told the truth or not, she simply wanted a good story to tell. And if Draco Malfoy was good at anything, it was telling stories.

After Malfoy's story-telling had grown thin, Rita went seeking for Hogwarts staff. She found another willing party in the form of Argus Filch.

"I always said Harry Potter was bad news," he said, petting his mangy cat. "During his second year here, he Petrified my Mrs. Norris."

Dumbledore approached from behind Filch and said, "I don't mean to interrupt, but what seems to be the problem?"

"Oh no, there's no problem," Skeeter purred, "as long as you tell me the story of how Harry Potter has returned."

The headmaster looked genuinely puzzled. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rita pounced. "Of course you do. And you also know Harry stumbled upon his werewolf friend in the forest, and brought him back to Hogwarts to be cured of his ills."

"I'm afraid you are mistaken." Dumbledore had a small smile on his face and continued, "There is no werewolf here at Hogwarts, Harry Potter is not here, nor does anything you've been told hold any merit." Then he turned to Malfoy.

"Draco, has it been you who told Ms. Skeeter these things?"

Draco folded his arms petulantly and answered, "Yes!"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly, as if admonishing a young child, "Draco has a history of telling tall tales, you see. If I were you, I'd be more careful of whom I trust for a story."

"So I've heard," muttered Rita, now looking at Draco as if he had lied to her.

"But it's true!" protested Malfoy angrily. "I heard that oaf Hagrid say it all to Ron, Hermione, and Shantiel!"

But Dumbledore was already off down the hall, as if Rita Skeeter being in his school held no more concern for him than did the presence of a fly in his soup.

* * *

_I'm in for it now,_ thought Dora. It was the first time in months she had actually spoken with Zeus. He had a legendary temper and didn't put up with mistakes. Although Pandora hadn't exactly been making mistakes, she'd just been pawning off her responsibilities to the other members of her guard. It's a good thing she was known to leave for weeks at a time, with no explanation. Thankfully, Zeus had come to accept it as a quirk of Pandora's, and his arrogance was such that he'd never questioned her about it. Zeus had been quite scarce at the Crimson Palace himself lately. And of course, no one had dared to question him about it. Had Pandora not been gone so often, she would have braved a question or two. As it was, however…

She walked proudly through the ornate deep red doors of the palace. They were huge, as were most things inside. It was a secret location, free from the prying eyes of everyone, and not one single living human knew of its existence. That was because any human who was brought there was eventually killed. The palace was actually an enormously large cave, hewn out of rock by thousands of hours of back-breaking work. Many had died building it. Zeus, being who he was, had commandeered it for his own, making sure every surface was blood-red and gilded. _Ostentation is his middle name, _Pandora thought, striding through the corridors to the throne room. Not surprisingly, Zeus wasn't there. He was most likely lounging on his ridiculously large canopy bed, surrounded by a dozen of his "assistants". Privately, Pandora thought of them more as concubines, as the scantily-clad vampyresses were there for nothing else than to keep Zeus comfortable, give him nourishment, and give him pleasure.

As Pandora was Zeus's long-time lover, she alone was allowed to wander the palace without a guard. She sauntered passed the sentinels at the entrance to Zeus's bedroom and cleared her throat.

The vampyresses stopped in the middle of what they were doing and glared at Pandora, and jealously attempted to protect Zeus from her. Zeus waved them away and pushed his long golden blonde hair behind his ears. "Finally, you are here," he said. He didn't sound angry at all, which surprised Dora. At last, the vampyresses slinked out of the bedroom and the doors were shut.

Zeus stood up, walked across the room, and poured himself a flagon of blood wine. He offered a glass to Pandora, but she declined. Although she'd never admit it, she was nervous. Pandora knew she could handle Zeus's temper; it was waiting for him to get into it that was the most nerve-wracking. She continued to brace herself for an onslaught.

"Why are you standing like that?" asked Zeus as he studied her curiously.  
_Just get on with it,_ Pandora thought with annoyance, as she stood with her head held high and her arms clasped behind her back.  
"I am prepared to accept whatever punishment you have chosen to give me."

His brow crinkling, Zeus gazed into Pandora's eyes with his own black ones. "Why, what crime have you committed? It's not treason, is it?" he asked, with a hint of amusement.

In spite of herself, Pandora felt her face growing hot with shame. Only Zeus could provoke this type of reaction out of her. "No, of course not," she snapped. "I was talking about me having left my post, assigning somebody else to the task. That is not befitting of someone in your guard." There, she said it. No use hiding or lying about it.

"Ah," said Zeus, "of course." He began circling her, studying her very closely. He switched between looking at her and studying the blood wine in the flagon. _Something's not right here,_ Pandora thought, as she watched his lithe form walk about her. Zeus should be yelling in fury, throwing things and threatening to kill her. But now, he was simply looking at her as if they had met for the first time.

"And what would you suggest I do?" asked Zeus.

Pandora could hardly believe her ears. This was the vampire who had doled out horrible punishments without a second thought. Now he was asking her what he should do? Zeus's own time away from the Crimson Palace seemed to have changed Zeus far more than it had changed Pandora. However, she answered him bravely. "Make an example out of me to the others. Give me a harsh punishment."

"I hardly think time away merits such a thing," said Zeus, now looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "After all, your sire wasn't even in his castle."

Again, Pandora couldn't believe what she was hearing. Zeus was showing her mercy?

"Nevertheless, I cannot be seen as weak, so punishment must be given." _Ah, that's more like it._ "Twenty lashes from Apollo's cat-o-nine-tails."

Pandora could hardly believe her luck. Twenty lashes and that's it? She'd be able to heal from that in less than two days. Prometheus wouldn't even notice it, so she could avoid awkward questions.

"Oh yes, one more thing," Zeus said, "I'm dreadfully sorry, but I must have the guards escort you away. Just this once." Zeus called loudly called for his sentinels and Pandora was taken to her punishment.

* * *

After Apollo was finished giving Pandora her punishment, she was laying in her bed chamber, recuperating. Apollo seemed genuinely upset that Zeus had only ordered twenty lashes. In his life before he was a vampire, Apollo had been a taskmaster, so giving punishments was something he not only looked forward to, but relished.

He was also quite superstitious and wished to speak with Pandora about Zeus's current change of mood. Much to Pandora's annoyance, Apollo had shown up the next day to talk to her again.

"Come to give me the other lashings that you threatened to from yesterday?" Pandora asked, irritation evident in her voice.

Apollo smiled wickedly and said, "No. Would you like me to?"

Pandora growled and replied, "Why are you here?"

"I've come to talk about our dear fearless leader."

"What about him?"

"Have you noticed he's been behaving…well, peculiar, as of late?"

"I haven't noticed anything," said Pandora. The last thing she wished to do was get into another conversation about Zeus with Apollo.

"This giving you twenty lashes, for example…wouldn't he typically have ordered a few of your bones broken for disobeying orders?"

"Perhaps. You mentioned he'd been gone a lot lately?" Pandora attempted to change the subject.

"Yes. He went away for a time and didn't take any of his guards with him. It was most odd."

That _was_ very odd. Typically, Zeus brought an entourage of at least six of his elite guards with him wherever he went, whenever he went anywhere. Usually his victims were lured, knocked out, and brought to the palace for him to feed on. He was very much like an evil lion and his pride.

"All right, fine," said Dora. "I keep expecting his temper to flare the way it always does, but he just keeps…walking around, studying everything. It's as if he can't believe it's really his or something."

"Do you think it's possible he could've been replaced by a shapeshifter?" Apollo asked seriously.

Pandora laughed and said, "Of course not. Those are mythical; they don't even exist."

"I wouldn't be so certain," he answered, "that's what people once said about vampires."


	14. Cures and Allies

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN:**

**CURES AND ALLIES  
**

It was Christmas time once again and Shantiel, Hermione, and the Weasleys were going to be staying at an old manor called "Grimmauld Place". Ron didn't appear to excited about the prospect, so it was with much trepidation that Shan went with everybody to the location.

Shantiel walked into the gloomy looking house. She could see why Harry's godfather loathed living there. In some ways, it reminded her of how the Biggs had lived but it was still much darker, cramped, and stuffy. Molly continued to usher the teens inside the foyer. A woman with vivid pink hair walked out of the kitchen. She immediately pulled Shan into a hug.

"It's high time I officially met the newest member of the Tonks family!" she said excitedly. She put a hand on her pregnant belly and smiled, "I'm Tonks, by the way," she introduced herself. "I'm quite sure my cousin, Adonna has told you of our many adventures. I have heard a lot about you though, Shan." Shantiel blushed while she softly muttered a "thanks."

"How are you and the baby doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked out of motherly concern.

Tonks smiled more and looked at her stomach, "Quite well, actually, I think we may have another Marauder in the family," she laughed. "Very feisty. Remus seems excited about the baby which worried me before I told him." Tonks said, sounding relieved. An elderly man with a wooden leg and a swirling electric blue eye hobbled up behind Tonks.

"Meeting's about to start," he said gruffly. His odd eye was now focused on Shantiel. It made her feel unnerved. She had heard stories about three years ago, when a Death Eater impersonated the Ex-Auror. She could certainly understand the source of his paranoia. Mad-Eye continued to study the girl for a moment more before returning back into the kitchen.

"Thank you, Alastor," Mrs. Weasley said before turning to the teens. "There's a room at the top of the stairs to the left. Go wait in there, the meeting shouldn't take too long. Dinner should be ready by then. And no Extendable Ears," she warned as they walked up the stairs.

Shantiel saw a very old looking House-Elf walk passed them. He stopped and glared at them.

"Hello Kreacher, how have you been?" Hermione said warmly. Kreacher just continued to glare but there was a hint of shock in his eyes.

"The filthy Mudblood is back in Kreacher's mistress's house and is now speaking to him," Kreacher said in a revolted tone. "I am so sorry, Mistress." Ron just shook his head and led everyone else towards the bedroom.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Hermione? It's not worth speaking to him. No matter how nice you are to him he isn't going to change," Ron sighed in annoyance.

"Well, you never know, Ronald. A little niceness can go a long way," Hermione huffed, going into the room. Ron just shrugged and followed the girls inside.

So many things were going through Shantiel's mind over what the meeting could be about. Adonna told her since there could be more attacks from Death Eaters or possibly vampires that the Order of the Phoenix had to be regrouped. Dumbledore had made the old Black house into the headquarters once again.

Luckily Ginny, Hermione, and Ron had told her all about the Order and who the members had been. Shantiel definitely had more appreciation behind the DA and what it stood for. Not only that but the renewed respect for those who had died defending their families and other things of which they were part.

Fortunately, Mrs. Weasley was correct about the meeting not being that long.

Within a couple hours, the four teens were beckoned downstairs by the Weasley mother. Some of the Order members had stayed for Molly's superb food. Just like at the Burrow, stories of days past were told and laughter was heard. It seemed to erase much of the darkness that the old residence held.

"Tomorrow, would you girls mind helping out with cleaning out the old library?" Mrs Weasley requested of them.

All three girls politely agreed to the task. After everyone's last fill of Butterbeer everyone got settled in their rooms.

As Shantiel lay on her side, she stared out the window. Secretly every night she would remember her last moments with Harry before she saw him by the lake. Her heart still ached so much. Finally she rolled over, hoping that maybe she would eventually wake up from this nightmare.

The next morning once breakfast was finished, Ginny, Hermione, and Shantiel all trudged upstairs to the library. It resembled the library inside any old mansion. Shelves lined the entire room and were filled with dust-covered books. Each book looked to be at least two hundred years old if not older. Shantiel could tell merely by looking at the titles that most of them were probably outlawed by the Ministry.

"Better get started. This may take awhile," Ginny said as she walked up to the first shelf to the right. Mrs. Weasley and Tonks had explained which books should be left untouched. Mainly because of how dangerous they were if opened. Neither of the girls talked much while cleaning.

"I can't believe the books they have in here!" Ginny exclaimed as she pulled out a book. It was black with designs that neither Hermione or Shantiel have seen before.

"Dark Beings of the Magic World?" Hermione read from behind Ginny's shoulder. "I heard of this book it was banned years ago by the Ministry. There are creatures mentioned that are beyond the level of danger that the Ministry will accept."

"It has everything from Banshees to Vampires," Ginny said, flipping through the pages. "To turn an immortal vampire back to mortal, one must have the bark from each Holly and Yew tree to make the potion to begin the transformation. And enough Holy water to bathe in. But the soaking in Holy water can't be done sooner or later then the beginning of sunrise when the planets are in syzygy. Elsewise the vampire will either burn or drown if done for too long," Ginny read out loud.

"I don't know, it sounds more than a bit woolly to me," Hermione said, re-reading the section.

"Maybe it's what we need to help Harry?" Shantiel said, hiding the hopefulness in her voice.

"I doubt it even works," Hermione said.

"There are notes in the margins, too," said Shan, looking at the book. "The wood from the trees must be of opposing wands," she read aloud, "Syzygy is the alignment of three heavenly bodies in the same gravitational system. Probably an eclipse. The subject must be willing, not coerced."

"Annotations?" Hermione squeaked. "In a _book?"_ she slammed the cover shut. "Oh, this is not good, not good at all…"

Shantiel's brow crinkled and she asked why. It was then that Hermione and Ginny explained to Shantiel all about Harry, the Half-Blood Prince, and their shared Advanced Potions manual.

"So it was originally the teenaged Snape's book?" she asked.

"Yes," Ginny and Hermione said at the same time. "And that was where Harry found the spell that almost killed Malfoy," said Hermione. "So you can understand why I don't trust annotations made in the margins of books. Especially in places like this."

Shantiel and Ginny shared a look behind Hermione's back. At least the red-haired girl seemed to agree with Shantiel's unspoken words about wanting to try anyway. But still, they said nothing. Had they really just found a cure for Harry's vampiric state, or was it just more Dark magic they wouldn't dream of trying to use?

* * *

Rome wasn't too happy about the location Dumbledore had chosen for their meeting, but at least it wasn't at Hogwarts. The vampire kept himself well-hidden under the hood of his cloak as he walked inside the church at Godric's Hollow. The village was a place he'd always wanted to visit, but both times he had been there had been because of less-than-favorable circumstances. The first time had been to defeat Voldemort and the second was now to meet Dumbledore to speak about how the task had yet to be accomplished. Slinking into a pew, Rome hunched his shoulders and avoided looking at the Bibles and hymn books surrounding him.

Suddenly, he heard a shuffling noise behind him. It was the elderly professor, who looked just as smooth and unruffled as usual. He scooted over and sat next to Rome on the bench. _Of course he looks just fine,_ thought Prometheus, _he knows he's got me over a barrel because of Shan._ That annoyed him no end. He was supposed to be meeting the professor on _his_ own terms, not the other way around. But once again, the headmaster had twisted things around and manipulated the situation. By having Rome meet him in a _church_ of all places. _A vampire in a church! Ridiculous!_ However, he had to give the old man credit. It was the last place someone would think of to look for him.  
"I'm assuming that you don't wish to stay here any longer than is necessary," began Dumbledore. Well, at least he'd got that one thing right.

"So Voldemort has seven Horcruxes."

"No, Horcruxes are deliberately made. It is my belief that Voldemort has six Horcruxes. Two of which have already been destroyed. He had an unhealthy relationship with his pet snake, Nagini. It is unwise to place a Horcrux inside something that can act and think for itself. Of course, one could argue that making a Horcrux at all is most inadvisable as well. Be that as it may, Nagini has been destroyed. That is because Nagini herself was mortal and once her body was killed, the seventh of soul inside of her was lost."

"And the other Horcrux?"

"You handed me the other destroyed Horcrux when you were a mere 12 years old, Harry."

"What?"

"I am certain that Tom Riddle's diary was a Horcrux. A mere memory acting and thinking for itself? No, I was certain that the thing contained in the pages of Tom's diary was much more than memories. It was a sliver of his soul."

Rome mulled this over carefully. "I destroyed it with a Basilisk fang."

"And were very nearly killed yourself, yes. Only something equally powerful as a Horcrux is capable of destroying it. I daresay Basilisk venom is one of those things."

"What about the other Horcruxes?"

"They had to be objects which were of utmost importance to Voldemort. No ordinary, mundane objects would do. It is my belief he would have assigned tremendous value to things belonging to the four founders of Hogwarts."

"The four founders? But wouldn't those types of things be unspeakably ancient? Not to mention…where would Voldemort possibly have hidden them all?"

"I am glad you are beginning to see the enormity of the problem," said Dumbledore. "After extensive research through the life of Tom Riddle, it is my belief that the following Horcruxes are as follows: a ring and a locket from Salazar Slytherin, a cup from Helga Hufflepuff, and something from Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryffindor."

Prometheus thought over this information with some trepidation. Where on earth would he begin looking for such things? And did Dumbledore really know for certain that these objects were indeed the Horcruxes which they needed to find?

"You must find and destroy all of these objects, lest Voldemort will come back from the dead. He is already out there again, somewhere, and we need to find him, too. But the fragments of his soul need to be destroyed first."

"And how do I do that?"

"With Godric Gryffindor's sword. You see, it was made by goblins. Goblin metal takes on the attributes of the things it comes in contact with, and it is now impregnated with Basilisk venom. And because I refuse to send you out on such a perilous journey alone, I have decided to send a companion with you."

"Not Ron or Hermione?" Rome asked, feeling a sense of relief combined with anger.

"Oh no, you have made it clear you do not wish to deal with Hogwarts or her students if you can possibly help it. So I have decided to send another ally." Then he turned to the back of the chapel and called out, "Viktor!"

It was then that Viktor Krum strode out into the aisle, looking intimidating and majestic whilst holding Godric's sword.  
"He has supplies for you both and he can tell you just about everything you need to know. Good luck to both of you," said Dumbledore. Then he reached into a pocket and handed Rome a small red box tied with a bow. "Tis the season. Happy Christmas, Harry."


	15. Hunting for Trouble

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN:**

**HUNTING FOR TROUBLE  
**

Shantiel had stolen the "Dark Beings of the Magical World" book from the Black family library when nobody was looking. Several times, she had wanted to approach Snape during the Christmas break whenever he was at the Order meetings. She lost her nerve every time. It wasn't that she thought Snape had written on the pages of the book; Hermione had made it clear the handwriting was completely different than that which was in the potions manual. It was because he was a true master of potions and if anybody could create a potion to turn Harry mortal again, surely it would be Severus Snape.

* * *

Viktor Krum sat on his camp cot and stared at Rome across their tent. They had spent the first few weeks of their journey canvassing the countryside searching for Horcruxes and avoiding Voldemort's minions. Although it appeared Viktor had trusted Dumbledore implicitly, he didn't trust Prometheus. Living in close quarters with a human was proving difficult, but not impossible. As long as Rome made sure to drink his red potion, there were no problems. No problems regarding needing to feed, anyway. Problems existed between he and Viktor, seeing as the former Durmstrang student thought of Rome as evil.

"Dumbledore has told me I can trust you," Viktor said, "but you'll have to earn that from me."

Rome later attempted to ask him why, but Viktor only replied, "Ever heard of Transylvania? Dracula? I'm not stupid, I know that vampires cannot be trusted." Then he folded his arms and glared at Rome, much in the way he was glaring at him now.

Prometheus wished there was some way he could prove to Viktor that he wasn't like other vampires, but there didn't appear to be anything that he could do. He supposed Dumbledore felt the same way about Rome—he wished there was something he could do to get Rome to trust him again, but there appeared to be nothing. In fact, Rome had yet to open the Christmas gift from Dumbledore. He doubted that he ever would.

Prometheus and Viktor had had very few close calls and run-ins with Death Eaters. It was mostly other dark creatures they had to worry about, staying so close to forests and other unsavory areas. Viktor was quite surprised that Rome was capable of defending himself without a wand. Rome vaguely remembered having dropped it when Pandora had bit him that final time. He wasn't even sure he'd be able to use one now that he was a vampire. If only Rome hadn't left his wand in the forest, he could try it out instead of having to rely on Viktor for everything magical. At least Rome had spent a good portion of his life living as a Muggle, so he knew how to do many things without magic. It just took ten times longer. For example, whenever it was Rome's turn to pitch the tent, he always did it the old-fashioned way instead of how Viktor did—with a simple spell.

Viktor was most formidable in other ways, too. He could hunt and kill with ropes and a bow and arrow. Finally, Rome found something to talk about with him. The vampire asked if Viktor would pass on his knowledge of trap-building with ropes. Rome knew he could use that skill to catch and drain other vampires when the need arose. He was running low on his supply of blood for Snape, so he knew it would have to be soon. It was nearly time for Rome to go back to Snape and get another batch of his potion as well. He had also made plans to meet up with Pandora so should could stay somewhat informed on his whereabouts.

Pandora had been none too pleased when Prometheus told her he had to leave for an undetermined amount of time, but what could she do? Absolutely nothing. Rome had proven he was his own man, and though Dora explained to him her wariness for hanging around with Viktor, he didn't much care.

Dumbledore wanted him to destroy Voldemort once and for all, Pandora wanted him to fight her war, and Viktor needed him to hunt for Horcruxes. It seemed as if everybody wanted to use him for something. Why couldn't he just live his own life? Of course, if it were up to him, he'd probably still be wasting away in that cave in the Forbidden Forest, wishing for Pandora to stake him through the heart.

Again, Rome found himself longing for the life he had before leaving Hogwarts. It had been difficult, yes, but it was nothing compared to the way he was living now. Running about, existing as a mere shadow of a man, trying to pretend that nothing had changed. It was especially difficult when he thought about Shantiel and when he'd had to lie to her. Always he told himself it was for the best…although he wished some way existed for him to tell her that he was still around, somewhere. But he felt it was best not to give her false hope. Rome felt that was even more cruel than having to lie about not loving her anymore.

At the very least, he now had some inkling of reason as to why he was so very different from others of his kind—as the only vampire with a soul. Unfortunately, it also made things that much worse. If only he could block all the feelings from his mind, he could better focus on the tasks at hand…

* * *

Albus Dumbledore and Adonna Tonks were at the Andromeda and Ted Tonks household, once again checking up on Remus Lupin. Thanks to the efforts of Adonna and Hagrid, Remus was healing quite nicely. However, he still needed a bit of help getting around, hence the need to stay with his in-laws.

"I still can't believe Harry carried me all the way to Hagrid's hut," Remus said.

Dumbledore smiled kindly and replied, "Of course he did. There's no way he could leave a friend in the forest bleeding to death."

"That bit reminds me a lot of James. There were many times he found me wounded in the forest…but he usually patched me up himself."

The headmaster smiled knowingly. "Perhaps he's more like his father than he ever thought."

Adonna got a strange look on her face as she was examining Remus's wound. It caused him to ask if anything was amiss. "No," responded the healer, "I was just remembering something…" her words drifted away for a bit before she said, "…headmaster, I really must speak with you after this house call is complete."

"Of course, Madam Adonna," said Dumbledore.

After making certain that Nymphadora and the baby she was carrying were fine, Adonna and Dumbledore left the Tonks residence and headed for Hogwarts. It was there that the headmaster found Snape in his office. Adonna and Severus were quite annoyed with each other's presence, but neither one of them would budge an inch.

"Headmaster, I must speak with you straightaway," said Snape.

"I'm afraid Adonna has asked to speak with me first, Severus."

"Very well, I shall wait." The potions master folded his arms and remained rooted to his spot.

"Fine then," Adonna said through clenched teeth. She turned to Dumbledore. "I can't explain to you how I know this, but I just remembered…there is a *second Chamber of Secrets beneath London. You can gain access to it through St. Mungo's Hospital."

Snape's was caught so off-guard by her statement that his jaw nearly hit the floor. "How could _you_ possibly know that?"

"I already _told_ you, I can't explain how I know. I just know that I _do _know it. Why? How is it that _you_ know about it?"

Snape glared at the healer and said to Dumbledore, "As it so happens, that is precisely what I wished to come here and discuss with you—this second Chamber of Secrets."

"I see. And why is it that both of my closest assistants suddenly wish to disclose this information to me?"

Adonna spoke first. "You told me that Voldemort was hiding objects that were very important to him. I might not know what those are, but I do know that this second chamber might very well be where one of those things is hidden."

"That, too, is my purpose in speaking to you, Headmaster," asserted Snape.

"Do each of you have clear memories of this second chamber? Memories that are satisfactory enough to examine in the Pensieve, for example?"

"Yes," said Snape.

"Most definitely," replied Adonna.

Dumbledore walked over to his cabinet and removed the Pensieve, placing it on the middle of his desk. Adonna and Snape then each held their wand to their temple and removed the requisite needed memory and placed it in the basin.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some searching to do. You may each retrieve your memories after I'm finished."

* * *

In the first memory, Dumbledore followed Severus Snape through the lobby at St. Mungo's. The potions professor was carrying his black traveling satchel with him. As Snape didn't look any different, Dumbledore deduced the memory was fairly recent, within the past year or so.

They meandered through the crowded hallways to the stairs at the back of the building and began climbing. They exited the stairwell on the fifth floor into a dark, drab, and old-fashioned-looking tea parlor. Its only occupant besides Severus was a dumpy-looking witch behind the tea counter. She walked into the back to get something and Snape hurriedly made his way over to a blanket which hung on the wall. Grossly-colored crocheted afghans, blankets, and tea cozies adorned every surface in the tearoom. The wall was positively coated in blankets. The one in front of Severus was patterned with magenta Quaffles and chartreuse Snitches. He pulled back the blanket which revealed a small ancient-looking door. Snape wordlessly unlocked the door that had a dingy placard next to it which read "WD51" and slipped through.

Dumbledore and Severus trudged through a dark, narrow corridor which seemingly went on forever. It was completely empty save for the cobwebs and dirt which coated everything. Their only source of light was Snape's wand, which he had obviously lighted with a Lumos spell. It had evidently been a long time since anyone had cleaned the place, if ever. There were some fresh scuffs in the dark stuff on the floor.

Finally, they came to the end of the corridor and found another door with another placard. This one read, "RM57C". Severus closed his eyes and wandered back and forth in front of it, as if he were concentrating particularly hard. After crossing in front of the doorway four or five times, he turned the doorknob to find an old elevator lift inside. It was then that Dumbledore figured out that they were about to enter a Room of Requirement. The headmaster followed Snape into the lift as the door closed behind them. The only button inside the elevator held a green symbol on it which resembled a Dark Mark. Severus pressed it and they began their descent.

It seemed to Albus that the elevator ride took far longer than the walk through the corridor had. Even Severus found the ride somewhat tedious as the normally unflappable man began fidgeting with his robes. At last they arrived at their destination and exited the lift.

As far as Dumbledore could see, this second Chamber of Secrets certainly resembled the first one. It looked to be in far better repair, however. They walked away from the elevator, through a passageway and to an antechamber. To the side of them was a large, round, sealed snake-décored door, much like in the first chamber. Albus noticed the same modified Dark Mark in the center of that door as the button in the lift had had.

Severus walked straight up to the door and spoke in a harsh hissing sound. Suddenly, the lock on the access cover started to turn of its own accord and the snakes moved as well. It dawned on Dumbledore that Snape must have just spoken a rough version of Parseltongue.

He followed Snape through the access plate opening and into the large chamber. There were many deep recesses in the wall, but it appeared nothing contained anything resembling a Horcrux—at least not as far as Dumbledore could tell. Snape simply dropped off his traveling satchel, walked away, and shut the entrance to the chamber again. It was time to check the other memory—Adonna's memory.

* * *

Madam Adonna's memory was far different from Snape's memory. To begin with, the memory evidently wasn't her own and it was slightly distorted. That meant that everything Dumbledore viewed was as if through a foggy lens. He didn't see Adonna, but he saw two versions of Harry—a spirit version and a physical version. Hagrid and Lupin were in the chamber with both Harrys. Hagrid was currently carrying Harry's physical counterpart. Remus Lupin reached into one of the recesses of the wall and pulled out a battered and broken wand.

"And here it is," said Remus, "the tool of exoneration. To think, it was here all this time, and so were you…"

There! In the recess of the wall! Dumbledore hurried over to it and thought he saw something…and he certainly did. Inside was a small golden teacup with an "H" engraved on it. The next Horcrux! Now to set about telling Harry…

* * *

A/N: Regarding the asterisk and the "second Chamber of Secrets": Many themes and ideas in this story and it's prequel [The Prophecy Renewed] were, in fact, borrowed from another fic on this site. The fic is entitled "Harry Gets Even", and is also on this account. If you wish to find out more behind the magic of this duo of stories, I suggest you better educate yourself by reading Harry Gets Even. Thank you. =]


	16. The Blunder of Umbridge

Dear Readers,

We apologize for not posting for a long time. Due to the holidays and a lot of personal stress, we have been unable to collaborate how we usually do. Please enjoy this chapter and have a safe and happy new year!

~Rae and DJ Vivian

* * *

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN:**

**THE BLUNDER OF UMBRIDGE  
**

Shantiel hung back when potions class ended. She had made up her mind once and for all to speak with the potions master about the book she had found at Grimmauld Place. Shantiel took a deep breath, walked to his desk, and prepared herself for whatever outcome was in store.

"Professor, could I have a word with you?" the blonde asked while concealing her nervousness. Severus laid down his quill before looking at her with a most perturbed expression.

"What would this conversation be regarding, Miss Tonks?" Snape questioned her. His gaze caused her to shiver slightly. She pulled out the book from her bag and timidly placed it on the desk. The dark-haired man looked at the book and then at the girl. "Where did you find this book?" he demanded.

Shantiel remained silent for a time before answering him. "Hermione, Ginny, and I found it in the library at Grimmauld Place, sir," Shantiel replied honestly. "Hermione said that there was writing in it much like in your old book that Harry had last year?" She bit her lip in anticipation. The professor flipped through the pages and stopped on the section about vampires. His lips parted slightly, as if he were shocked. But then he turned to Shantiel in anger.

"Is this what you wanted to speak to me about, Miss Tonks? Because I can assure you that you will not be able to receive my help about this subject," Severus said.

Shantiel plunged on despite Snape's denial for help, "I have the feeling you may have tried something like this before. I just want to know if it is possible that this method works," Shantiel said, almost as if she were pleading with him. "Can it be done?"

The professor stared at her hard in contemplation before replying, "I will be keeping this book from now on. Are we clear?"

Shantiel nodded before grabbing her bag and leaving the classroom. Though he had said no, she couldn't help but feel like there was something more to the story. However, she found herself resigned to the fact that maybe this was how things were going to stay—always wondering if the cure had been found and with no way to implement it.

* * *

Severus sat at his desk for moments longer, staring at the black book in front of him. He was so certain that Molly had gotten rid of it two years ago or that Regulus would have destroyed it before his death. The thought did intrigue the Potion's Master but he knew all too well that history would be repeated or worse—result in the worst case scenario. That was a risk they didn't need to take right now.

A familiar voice broke into his thoughts, "Am I interrupting something?" the elderly headmaster asked as he made his way up to Snape's desk. His eyes seemed to be penetrating the book. The professor quickly composed himself before answering.

"No, I was about to go inform you that Miss Tonks approached me with this book. She and Miss Weasley found it in the Blacks' library along with a supposed cure for Vampirism," Snape reported coolly. Dumbledore studied the book and man for a few seconds longer.

"I see. I agree that giving the girl false hope would be worse since you know what could go wrong with that particular method," Albus said as he gave Severus a knowing look. "You and Regulus experienced that, did you not?"

This was one thing Severus hated most about the headmaster; Albus brought up things from the past that he should have absolutely no business knowing. But Snape continued to stay his course.

"Yes," answered Severus, "but we were also very foolish and unprepared to even begin to attempt what we did," Snape said in irritation. "Not only that but we were lucky to have been able to get Pandora out of the water in time." As he said this, it occurred to him why Prometheus had known of the secret knock. Pandora must have told him, just as Severus and Regulus had shown it to Pandora those many years ago.

"All very true, Severus. Then again, it was a task that neither you nor Regulus could pass up. Just like how you have been helping Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. "And why you find the girl so much more relatable to yourself than anyone else." Severus remained silent for a time before changing the subject.

"I suspect that the memory gave you what you needed?" Snape said. Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, by the combination of yours and Adonna's memories, I know where Harry must go next," Dumbledore answered somberly.

"I will inform him of this news," Severus said stiffly.

Dumbledore nodded in response, "Thank you, Severus." With that he left the classroom. He turned back around at the door. "Maybe this time you are better prepared. We do learn from past mistakes." He walked out once again leaving the potions master to his thoughts.

* * *

After Quidditch practice, Ron, Hermione, and Shantiel made their way back into the school. They were about to enter the fifth floor corridor when voices came from a hallway. Ron motioned for them to crowd around the nearby corner to listen better.

"Are you certain that they have invaded the Ministry?" Adonna's voice asked hiding the fear within her tone very well. There was a brief silence before the question was answered.

"I'm quite certain. And Umbridge now has plans to overtake the Minister's position as well. She has already authorized the removal of all Muggleborn and Half-blooded wizards from magical society," Dumbledore said. "Like Voldemort, she believes that those who are Muggleborn or have Muggle descendants are not true witches or wizards." Immediately after that Ron looked at Hermione in fear for a few seconds but the conservation continued.

"There has to be a way to stop this, right?" McGonagall asked with deep concern in her voice.

"Sadly, Minerva, all we can do is prepare ourselves for what lies ahead of us. Umbridge has made it very clear that the war has restarted. However, we are standing on the battle field," Dumbledore said in a cryptic tone.

"So what do we do now? Do we keep watch on students?" Adonna asked quickly. Shantiel could sense the tenseness in her mother's voice.

"For now I think that it would be best not to cause more alarm than already

exists. We can only prepare when we have more knowledge about what is happening," Dumbledore said, gravely.

The three teens quickly stole for their common room but once there, all they could do for minutes was to look at one another, unsure of what to say.

"So, what's does this mean?" Ron finally broke the growing silence.

Hermione sighed and answered, "It means that somehow Umbridge has used the Minister to gain control of the Ministry."

"And by doing so, it makes her virtually invincible," Shantiel finished from the couch.

"Especialy considering what they are doing to all of the Muggleborns," Hermione said in a pained voice. Ron hugged her comforting.

"It makes complete sense for Dumbledore to suspect that Hogwarts is her next target. It's just now a waiting game of when they strike," Shantiel said, solemnly. "And how."

It wasn't long before the Ministry began to cause trouble for Hogwarts. Ron, Hermione, and Shantiel had been in the courtyard studying when Ron looked up to see a group of men in black robes coming their way.

"Hermione Jean Granger and Shantiel Dawn Tonks, you have been summoned by the Inquisitorial Squad of the Ministry," one of the men said, not breaking their statue-like behavior. Ron immediately placed himself between the men and the girls. He tried to stare them down.

"What for?" Ron demanded, not backing down. The four men laughed at Ron and then adopted the tone of the one who sent them.

"If you must know, they have a hearing," the second man standing behind the first spoke. "They are suspected of stealing magic from two witches."

"Stealing magic! How could they steal magic?" Ron shouted incredulously at the Inquisitorial Squad.

"If they do not come with us, they will be charged with contempt of the Ministry," the first man said, without any emotion. Ron's face turned as bright as his hair.

"You can't do that!" Ron shouted but stopped mid-rant when Hermione put a hand on his shoulder.

She held her head high as she responded, "We'll go to this hearing." All four men smirked. Shantiel stepped up to Hermione's side, her head also held high.

"What are you doing!" Ron demanded, horrified while looking at both girls. He was clearly stunned.

"If we don't, Umbridge will make it worse for us. I'm sure that before it goes too far, Dumbledore will stop this," Hermione whispered to Ron. The redhead calmed down slightly and nodded in understanding. Hermione quickly hugged him before following the blonde into the school.

* * *

Both girls stayed silent while marching through the corridors. Every step seemed to echo. Suddenly the entourage in front of them halted as if they were waiting for something. Shantiel slightly nudged Hermione in the arm and pointed to the side corridor. Hermione looked over to see more of the Inquisitorial Squad approaching them also with students behind them.

"What is going on?" Hermione whispered to the blonde as the group came closer.

"Must be other students charged with stealing magic," Shantiel answered her friend. "It doesn't make any sense though…" Hermione soon spotted Seamus Finnegan and Justin Flinch-Fletchley in the moving crowd. They spotted the girls and headed towards them.

"They got you, too?" Seamus said quietly as the combined groups started to move again. Both girls nodded.

"They said something about new Ministry laws and cleaning the filth from our world," Justin said, looking around to see if their conversation was being overheard.

"What they mean is getting rid of the Muggleborns and Half-bloods," Hermione said gravely. They continued their march through the school stopping every so often to gather more students. Other students watched and whispered in speculation of what was going on.

Shantiel heard a familiar voice calling out as they passed, "It's about time they cleaned up this place," Draco said with darkened humor. Some of the other Slytherins laughed in response.

The group of students were ushered out of the school by the Inquisitorial Squad and marched passed Hogsmeade before they stopped. Both Hermione and Shantiel silently surveyed what was happening. They heard a couple of the first years crying amongst the soft mutter of older students. Suddenly a voice called out from in front of the group.

"You will all be separated into smaller groups and then you will be taken to the Ministry for questioning," the voice ordered. One by one the Inquisitorial Squad cut through the crowd and Disapparated with a number of students. Hermione and Shantiel stayed close to ensure that they wouldn't be parted.

"Hold hands!" the same voice bellowed everyone around the girls obeyed. Shantiel's stomach fell as the ground disappeared from under her feet. Her mind whirled around what was going to happen next.

Everything came back into focus upon arriving inside the Ministry. Shantiel bit back a gasp as she look at the fountain that stood in front of them. It had a witch and a wizard over the top of what looked like people in pain or chained down. Below were the words etched onto it, "Magic Is Might."

"That's how Pureblood view Muggleborns or anyone less," Hermione whispered in disgust. The same members of the Inquisitorial Squad walked up to their group. Shantiel saw two lines of people behind them.

"Muggleborns will proceed to the line to the left," The first man said as he pointed. "Half-bloods will proceed to the line to the right. From there you will be processed and called for your hearings. You will not be harmed as long as you cooperate with us." Students timidly walked toward what line they were supposed to be in. Hermione sighed as she walked away from Shantiel. She turned back, giving the girl a fleeting look. Feeling even more alone, Shantiel joined the other Half-bloods. She dreaded what lay behind the doors in front of her.

Shantiel watched the line get shorter and shorter as each person entered the doors. Out of pure nervousness she rubbed her arms. How exactly were they planning to get rid of the Muggleborns and Half-bloods? Someone nudged her from behind brought her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry," Shan said before taking a deep breath as she stepped through the door. A prudish looking woman also in black stood behind a table. A bucket of wands sat upon it.

"Wand, now," the woman barked at the blonde. Shantiel hesitated before slowly placing her wand on top of the pile. How could she defend herself if something happened?

"Follow me," the woman said mechanically. Shantiel followed the woman down the corridor. It really felt as if she were going to a prison sentencing. She wondered if her mother or Dumbledore knew what was happening. Her footsteps echoed in rhythm with her thoughts. Finally the woman slowed down as they came to another pair of doors. Two men waited outside each door.

"Another one," the woman said before she turned around and left. One of the men walked up to Shantiel and grabbed one of her arms while the other guard took the other.

"What are you doing?" Shantiel said, trying to struggle out of their iron tight grasp. "Let go of me!"

"If you keep being uncooperative, we will have to take action," one of the men spoke, reaching for one of the doors. Shantiel stopped struggling for the moment. They walked into the room. Benches full of Inquisitorial Squad members were glaring at a little brown-haired girl chained to the chair in the middle of the room. A familiar toadyish woman sat in the middle looking like Christmas had just arrived.

"Madeline dear, please tell me, where did you find this wand?" Umbridge spoke with poisoned sweetness.

"I told you—my mum and dad bought it for me at Ollivander's in September," Madeline said through her tears. Umbridge laughed along with the other members.

"That is very well acted out and the tears almost seem real, my dear," Umbridge chimed in a patronizing tone. "But they will not help you in this case now. Answer the question. Then it will be over—you can forget all of this."

Each of the Inquisitorial Squad members continued to stare at the petite young girl like she was some hardened criminal. Shantiel's heart went out to the child.

"I got a letter like everyone does and then Professor Dumbledore came to my house. He explained everything to my parents and then took us to Diagon Alley," Madeline said. "Then we bought my wand."

"Yes, Dumbledore is easily tricked by people. I still don't believe that if your parents are Muggles that they were able to find the entrance," Umbridge laughed. "We are finished and her memory will be Oblivated tomorrow morning." She banged the gavel on the podium in front of her. Two guards came and dragged the sobbing girl out of the doors. Shantiel stood there shocked, angered, and saddened by what just happened. An innocent child was being punished because she was Muggleborn.

"Case 37652 is now being heard," announced a voice from one of the benches. The two guards marched Shantiel up to the chair. They strapped the chains around her arms and ankles. She struggled as Umbridge clicked her tongue.

"Ah yes, we meet again, Miss…Tonks is it now?" Umbridge said in sardonic amusement. Umbridge continued her questioning, "Is it true that you did not get a wand until last year, Miss Tonks?"

"Yes," Shantiel answered. She tried to make sure that the hag could not sense her fear.

"And isn't it true that you had been adopted before this point?" Umbridge pushed on.

"I wasn't adopted by the Biggs, I was abducted by them," Shantiel replied honestly. Umbridge let out a small giggle.

"Isn't it true that you murdered Annie and Jakob Petersen and then stole Annie's magic?" Umbridge asked with a glint of evilness.

"Why would I kill my own parents! I was only four years old when they died!" Shantiel bellowed as the Inquisitorial Squad laughed.

"Are you planning to do the same to Madam Adonna? Murder her in order to keep your level of magic high enough?" Umbridge said with false concern. This outraged the blonde girl.

"I WOULD NEVER THINK OF DOING THAT TO MY MOTHER!" Shantiel shouted, as she had reached the boiling point. Before the pink-clad woman had the chance to reply, the doors from the side flew open. Shantiel saw her mother and Dumbledore march into the room. In the year that Shantiel had known the healer she had never seen Adonna so livid.

"What is the meaning of this?" Adonna said. Everyone could hear the venom in her voice. Umbridge giggled.

"Your so-called daughter has been charged with the murders of Jakob and Annie Petersen. We have uncovered her secret plot to murder you as well as steal your magic," Dolores said as if revealing some dark secret. Adonna's eyes flashed with dangerous fire.

"She _is_ my daughter and as far as the charges are concerned, they have been removed from her records," Adonna said in calm fury.

"And the other accused students' records have been cleared of the same charges," Dumbledore added, he stared down everyone in the benches as the air around him crackled with his magical anger. "They will be returning to school immediately."

Adonna rushed over to her daughter and unbound her from the chair. An immense wave of relief washed over the blonde girl as she followed her mother out of the courtroom. Her concerns suddenly turned to Hermione.

Once outside, Adonna hugged her daughter tightly. She brushed Shantiel's bangs out of her face, "Are you alright? I'm so sorry. Ron told us right after they took you," Adonna said, hugging Shantiel again out of relief.

"I'm fine, Mum," Shantiel said, understanding and grateful for her mother's worry and love. "Where are Hermione and everyone else?" Shantiel added, her worry for her best friend returning.

"The rest of the Order is getting them," Adonna reassured Shantiel. Shantiel nodded in response. She looked over her shoulder when she heard Hermione saying her name.

"Shan!" Hermione ran over with Kingsley by her side. The two friends embraced one another. "I'm so glad that you are alright." Hermione breathed, looking a bit frazzled.

"Are you alright? What did they do to you?" Shantiel asked in the same manner of her mother. Hermione nodded.

"Yes, that woman is awful! Some of those questions and how we were treated! I heard somebody was already forced to have their memories removed," Hermione explained. Shantiel covered her mouth in horror.

"Let's go, girls," Adonna said, leading the girls to the nearest fireplace. They all took handfuls of Floo Powder and in emerald green flames returned to the headmaster's office.

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione began once the group was safely back at Hogwarts, "however did you get the Ministry to let us go?"

The headmaster exchanged looks with Kingsley and Madam Adonna before explaining, "Dolores overstepped her bounds. No student, under any circumstances, may be removed from school by the Ministry without prior notice to parents or guardians. It just so happens that, ah, Inquisitor Umbridge also failed to inform the Ministry of her actions. She will be duly disciplined, I have no doubt."

Kingsley released a deep, soul-filled laugh, waved them goodbye, and once again left the office for the Ministry.


	17. Viktor Unvindicated

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:**

**VIKTOR UNVINDICATED **

Two men Apparated on the end of the street that led to the potion master's home. Prometheus led the way while Viktor followed. Hours before, they had received an owl from Severus asking to meet up with them to discuss the whereabouts of one of the Horcruxes. It had come at a very opportune time. Rome needed a new supply of his potion. Rome knocked on the door. Severus began to let them in but Viktor stayed by the door, almost like a guard.

"Dumbledore was able to locate what we are looking for?" Rome asked as the door closed behind him.

"Yes, he did. Apparently it's in a chamber deep underneath St. Mungo's," Severus reported. Rome stared at him for a brief moment in semi-shock of how Dumbledore could know of that. Especially when Rome and Adonna were the only ones who actually knew that it existed.

"How did he figure it out?" Rome inquired of the man. He himself was attempting to avoid giving away how he knew of the chamber.

"He used memories from Adonna and myself," Snape answered with a raised eyebrow. Of course that made sense to Rome. "He wanted me to tell you how to get down there." Snape continued.

"He expects me to break into a hospital vith a vampire?" Viktor said with astonishment.

"Not necessarily break in, Viktor," Severus said. Rome could tell that the professor was highly annoyed.

"So, how do we get in?" Rome asked. Severus looked at Rome for a moment before answering.

"There is a back entrance that few know about. Follow the stairwell to the fifth floor. You will find what looks to be an old tea parlour. Wait until the attendant witch goes into the back room. You will look for a blanket on the wall that has Quaffles and Snitches on it. Behind the blanket is a door," he paused and handed Rome a key. Without a beat he continued on, "From there you will follow the chamber to a door with a placard which reads, RM57C. Pass in front of it five times while focusing on a Muggle elevator lift being behind the door. Inside the elevator lift should be a button that resembles a Dark Mark. Push it and it will take you to the second Chamber of Secrets. Just like the one at the school, Parseltongue is needed to gain entrance. Dumbledore said what you see will be in the recesses of the wall." Snape concluded his explanation with a rather put-off look.

As Severus explained everything, Rome started having flashbacks to when he had been there before in body and spirit forms. It took him a moment before he caught himself.

"Thank you, Severus, for giving us the message," Rome said as he took another scarlet bottle from the potion master. Viktor bowed shortly as Rome exited the door then followed after him.

* * *

Rome was now lost in thought again about what Severus had told them. He should have known by now not to be surprised with how the Headmaster and even how Snape knew of things which they had no business knowing. It still baffled him. Suddenly, Rome stopped in his tracks. Viktor asked what he was doing but Rome held up a hand to silence him. They had company. Prometheus quickly scanned the perimeter to get a gist of how many lay in waiting. The young vampire estimated that there had to be eight other vampires waiting to attack them.

"Vhat is it? Vhat's going on?" Viktor demanded of Rome, who was still rooted to the spot.

"I think we're about to be attacked by other vampires," Rome answered, barely moving his lips. He surveyed the rooftops of Spinner's End. Viktor looked around as well, trying to see the hidden enemy. He held his knife ready. Rome reached into his small leather bag, already thinking of a strategy.

"You stay there," he whispered to Viktor, as he shimmied up a rusted old drainpipe.

Practically undetected by one of those vampires who lay in ambush, Rome threw his rope around the other's neck and yanked him off the top of the building. Rome again reached into his leather bag, pulled out a wooden spike and staked the first vampire through the heart after he landed on the ground. It wasn't just any type of wood the stake was made from; Snape had given Rome a stake of lignum vitae, the Tree of Life—one of the hardest woods in the world.

All the other vampires converged on Viktor while Prometheus was otherwise occupied. The young Romanian stood ready, lashing out where he could. He wielded a special blade. It, too, was made of lignum vitae.

Rome ran toward the melee, slid along the pavement, and scissor-kicked two of the other vampires to the ground. Viktor turned and leapt on top of one of the vampires, and slashed her clean through the heart.

As the other vampire fell to the ground, Rome upturned his stake so the pointed end caught her in the chest. She rolled over to one side, moving no more.

Viktor screamed as one of the vampires sunk his teeth into his neck. The young man tried to fight him off, but his wooden blade became lodged in between the ribs of the vampire and Viktor was forced to let go of it.

Prometheus had problems of his own. Two more vampires had moved in on him and had him backed up against one of the buildings. One of them leapt toward him and Rome ducked, causing the other vampire to crash through a window. Prometheus saw she was caught on a large pointed end of glass and was trying to get free. Wasting no time, Prometheus rammed his stake in through her heart from behind. _Four down, four to go…_

The vampire which Viktor had wounded finally backed away, but it was only to let another vampire take his place. The next vampire sunk her teeth into the other side of Viktor's neck. Again, Viktor tried his hardest to get away, but the wounded vampire had taken Viktor's blade out of his chest and stabbed Viktor in the back three times.

"You won't have to worry about those wounds for long," he laughed darkly, licking Viktor's blood off the blade.

The third vampire sank his teeth into the crook of Viktor's elbow. Viktor screamed again.

Rome threw off the last vampire against a brick wall, knocking him senseless. Prometheus was taking on his share of damage, but it was nothing compared to the beating Viktor was getting. This was easily the largest fight they'd ever encountered together. Punching the vampire in the face, Rome shoved his stake in through the heart of the vampire. Rome turned around right as Viktor screamed and deduced what the vampires were trying to do…they wanted Viktor as one of them.

Prometheus roared and charged the wounded vampire. The move was so unexpected that the other dropped the blade he was licking right on Rome. Rome and the vampire fell to the street together. Prometheus saw Viktor's blade right next to them, snapped it up, and sliced through the vampire's heart over and over again.

_Two to go…_thought Rome, as another female vampire slunk down the top of the building and onto the vampire who had been draining Viktor's neck.

"GET HER, ROME!" she yelled, twisting around the other female's neck.

Dazed yet spurred to action, Prometheus ran forward and drove home his stake. The two females collapsed to the ground. One leapt off the other as Rome exclaimed, "Dora!" The final vampire, seeing he was outnumbered, slid away into the shadows.

"Sorry I'm late," Pandora apologized. "It looks like your friend is worse for wear…"

Viktor lay on the pavement, sweating with the fever of bloodfire yet pale and clammy at the same time. He was oozing blood everywhere.

"Help me get him into Snape's flat," Rome said to Dora. They both struggled to carry the wounded young man back down Spinner's End. Viktor was in so much agony, he thankfully passed out.

* * *

Viktor slowly opened his eyes. It took them awhile to adjust to the dim lighting.

"Vhere am I?" he asked nobody weakly.

"You are at Spinner's End, approximately 300 meters from where you fell 2 days ago," a vaguely familiar voice answered him. Viktor couldn't quite place it.

"Who are you? And vhat happened to me?" He tried to sit up but it was a mistake. Viktor groaned and fell back to the mattress.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the voice cautioned. "I am Madam Adonna. We met briefly before you left on your journey with…Prometheus." The name rolled off her tongue in an odd way, as if she were unaccustomed to saying it. As she said it, memories trickled into Viktor's mind over what happened some days before.

"Vhere is Rome?" asked Viktor. "Did those vampires get him, too?"

"They came close, but a friend arrived just in time to help the both of you."

Viktor sucked in a breath through his teeth, as he mentally surveyed the extent of his injuries. Then something highly disturbing occurred to him.

"I vas bitten three times!" he exclaimed. "Vhy am I not….vun of…_them_ now?" He tried to sit up again as Madam Adonna firmly pushed him back down.

"You're going to be one of _those_ patients then, are you?" Madam Adonna folded her arms at Viktor as he visibly tried to calm himself. She waited until he was finished fidgeting.

"Vhat happened to me?" Viktor repeated.

"You were stabbed three times by the vampire you wounded with your knife. And as you said, you were bitten three times. However, Rome's friend, Pandora, was able to lance your wounds and suck out enough of the virus in time to save you from their immortal fate."

"Their fate?" questioned Viktor. "Is this Pandora…a vampire, too?"

"Yes, she most certainly is."

"And to think I didn't trust Rome…" Viktor muttered to himself guiltily.

"No, you didn't. And he was nearly beside himself with worry about you. He said he hopes you'll understand, but he couldn't remain by somebody who was bleeding so profusely."

_Of course he couldn't stay vith me,_ Viktor thought. _He must've been trying to fight the urge to finish me off! Poor Rome…_

"You might find yourself sensitive to sunlight now," cautioned Madam Adonna. "What other vampiric attributes you've inherited remains to be seen as well."

"Vunderful," replied Viktor petulantly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Anything else?"

"You probably won't be up and around for another week. Not with the adventures you've been on lately," finished Adonna.

"So I have to live in this—hell hole— ," he threw out an arm for emphasis and regretted it, "for the next _veek?_"

"You've got it, Mister," Adonna replied, stepping closer to his bedside. "And it'll be longer, if you don't calm down and stay in bed."

Viktor growled and ground his teeth together and responded, "Very vell."

"Don't worry," Madam Adonna relented, "I'll send word to Rome that you're awake. He hopes you don't mind, but he went to the hospital without you."

* * *

"I noticed you've been gone from Hogwarts lately," Shantiel said.

Madam Adonna looked at her adopted daughter contemplatively. "You don't miss much, do you, Shan?"

Shantiel turned her head to the side and simply looked at Adonna. The healer continued, "I've been on errands for Professor Dumbledore as of late. He has required much of me away from the school."

Shantiel's nostrils flared as she said hopefully, "It has to do with Harry, doesn't it?"

Adonna pursed her lips and again contemplated Shantiel. She had never outright lied to her before, but now it seemed like she would have to do so. The blonde girl was too intelligent for her own good.

"Never mind," Shantiel said. "Your silence is all the answer I need. Is he safe? He hasn't been hurt, has he?"

At least Adonna could answer the final question honestly. "He has not been injured. That much I know."

"Thank you," replied Shantiel, giving her mum a quick hug. "I know how much it costs you to tell me anything about him."


	18. The Moonstone

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:**

**THE MOONSTONE**

Prometheus was very grateful for his Invisibility Cloak. It made it that much easier to sneak into St. Mungo's. A strong feeling of déjà vu crept over him as he skulked through the hospital lobby, as he avoided patrons and furniture. He knew he'd done this once before, but it still felt odd to be doing it all over again. However, it was far easier by himself than with five other people. There was also no need to dim the lighting how he did the first time he and his friends had done so.

He swept down a corridor, silent as could be. Something caught his attention. Or rather, someone. That someone was Dolores Umbridge. Rome growled low in his throat before he could stop himself. She was speaking in hushed tones with what looked to be a hospital official. They turned briefly at the sound of Rome's growling and were confused when they saw nobody was there. Prometheus held his breath and waited for them to continue their conversation.

"As I was saying," the hospital official went on, "there have been a rash of vampire attacks lately. As many as five people per night for the last two weeks, and the attacks have not shown signs of slowing down. In fact, they appear to be increasing."

Umbridge huffed before replying, "Why was the Ministry not informed of this previously?"

"Madam Inquisitor, the hospital is not in the habit of informing the Ministry of every little sniffle and malady that all persons come across. It was only after careful deliberation that we decided to tell the Minister. He sent you instead. I find that highly irregular."

"Is that so, Mr. Crestwater?" said Umbridge. "We'll just have to tell the Minister your feelings about that," said the toady woman, in a tone of sweetness laced with venom. It was obviously a threat. Once again, Rome reacted before he could stop himself and cracked his knuckles. Dolores and Crestwater looked in his direction once more.

"No need to tell him, Madam Inquisitor," Crestwater backpedaled. He was obviously displeased about being challenged in his own hospital.

"And see to it that you and your staff mention this rise of vampire attacks to _no one_. We don't want to upset the public and cause a panic," clipped Umbridge.

"Of course not, Madam," answered Crestwater through clenched teeth, "that is why we went through the Ministry in the first place—so we hopefully wouldn't cause a panic!"

"Lower your voice, Mr. Crestwater," Umbridge said sweetly, "and remember where we're at. Or I'll see to it that you are removed from administration." Crestwater's eyes flew open wide and he stared at the squat woman in front of him. Evidently, he had never dealt with her before. It appeared Umbridge's unprecedented advancement through Ministry channels had landed her in a position quite close to the Minister. Rome highly doubted even the Minister knew what Dolores was doing behind his back.

Apparently, at a loss for words, Crestwater balled his hands into fists and walked away in shock and anger. Umbridge walked into a room full of patients lying in bed. Against his better judgment, Rome followed her. By the looks of the patients, he could tell they were victims of vampire attacks. All of them were deathly pale and had bandages across their necks and various other places on their bodies.

"And I will see to it that you and all those who become like you will be disposed of," Umbridge giggled to herself as she spoke to the unconscious victims. Rome had had enough.

"This time you've gone too far, Dolores," he snarled. The woman whirled around, her eyes wide with fear. Prometheus did not back down. Instead, he threw off one side of his Cloak and grabbed Umbridge's throat and squeezed off her air. "If you kill them, or even lay one finger on them and I hear about it, I'll come looking for you." Her eyes burned with recognition at the sight of Prometheus. She tried feebly to remove his claw-like hand from her windpipe. She was obviously trying to scream and get someone's attention, but Rome wasn't about to let her.

"Oh no, you don't," he said. "If you tell anybody—and I mean anybody—you saw me tonight, I _will_ kill you. Is that understood?" Umbridge barely nodded. Still, Prometheus didn't let go. Everything inside of him screamed at him to end her life right then and there. This woman could not be trusted. However, was it worth it to have her blood on his hands at this moment? _No,_ Rome decided, _no, you're so not worth it._

He let go of Umbridge and she gagged for about a minute. Prometheus didn't stick around to find out what she did next and threw his Cloak over himself and swept out of the room, as silently as he had arrived.

* * *

"Headmaster, Krum is doing well now and is on the mend. It appears Madam Adonna has been taking good care of him," Snape reported.

"Ah, I expected no less," replied the elder gentleman. The potion master stood there for a moment, as if unsure of what to do next.

"What is it, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.

The dark-haired man was at a rare loss for words. The headmaster gently encouraged him to speak. "My goodness, whatever could be the matter?"

"Nothing is the matter," Snape said. "At least, not in the sense you're implying. I suppose what I'm trying to say is you were right."

"So the penny drops," Dumbledore quipped with a twinkle in his eye. "No wonder it took you so long to speak, with you admitting I was right about something. The question now is what was I right about?"

Snape sighed in an annoyed fashion before continuing, "Yes, you were right about me. I suppose I couldn't leave well enough alone once Shantiel found that potions book with Regulus's old notes in it."

"Oh?"

"Yes. It seems Regulus and I were wrong about needing the Resurrection Stone. There's something else out there which is required. As for the potion which needs to be drunk, I believe the required ingredients for one such as Prometheus would be wood from a holly tree, yew tree, and a lignum vitae tree. It will be highly challenging to distill those into potion form."

"What are you trying to tell me, Severus? That you've made a breakthrough in your methods of curing vampirism?" questioned Dumbledore with some astonishment.

"That is exactly what I am saying, Headmaster."

It wasn't often that Albus Dumbledore was surprised by anything, but it was clear that the potion master had been dabbling in his old experiment almost immediately after he'd rediscovered it. And for that, Dumbledore was very grateful.

"Thank you for sharing this news with me, Severus."

"I have yet to find the key to it all, Headmaster," Snape warned.

"You forget how well I know you, my friend," said Dumbledore. "Once you've determined to get to the bottom of something, it's only a matter of time."

"Too true, too true."

* * *

Zeus was highly agitated. That much Pandora knew. He had been pacing around his chambers in the Crimson Palace for quite some time, in quandary of what to do about this "virgin blood" vampire. The ruler vampire had learned that this "Prometheus" had been responsible for the deaths of some of his best attack teams. What irritated Zeus most was that his favorite assassin, a vampire named Ares, had been done away with the night before. Pandora thanked her lucky stars that she had caught up with Ares as he had run away from the fight in Spinner's End, for he was the last vampire that had got away. It was a good thing Zeus didn't know it was her who had been responsible for Ares's demise, and not Prometheus. Dora had to take care of Ares herself, so that he wouldn't report back to Zeus what she had done by helping Prometheus protect Viktor.

Pandora was curious indeed about Zeus's behavior. Typically, he would've blustered around the entire palace, expressing his displeasure in just about every way imaginable, including yelling at everybody within hearing distance, throwing things across the room, punching holes in walls. Yes, if Zeus was unhappy, everybody was sure to know it. But this time, he seethed mostly in private instead, seemingly wearing a hole in the floor, calling out servant's names now and again, all the while allowing her to sit in the corner of the room. He was very quietly planning something, and Pandora couldn't quite figure out what it was. That, too, was something typical of Zeus, but keeping things from her was not like him at all. That one change in his behavior was enough to keep her mind occupied for quite some time…

* * *

"Well, I see no need to keep checking up on you. You've healed up quite nicely, Remus," said Madam Adonna.

"Thanks to your diligent ministrations," replied Lupin. The healer smiled. "Now if only I could find that cure for lycanthropy…"

The former professor smiled ruefully with her. "It's too bad the Moonstone isn't real."

"Moonstone?" Adonna repeated. "What is that?"

Lupin laughed to himself and asked, "Do you really want to know?"

"Humor me, please."

"Very well. But keep in mind, it is just folklore." He took a deep breath and continued, "In ancient times, it is said that werewolves and vampires used to roam free. Then a Shaman put a curse on each the vampires and werewolves—a curse bound with the Moonstone. This made it so that vampires are hurt by the sun and werewolves can only turn on a full moon. Whichever one of these breaks the curse—by killing a certain woman and doing a ritual—will be free of their side of the curse, and will basically rule all. This means that werewolves would be able to change at will and vampires would be stuck confined to the night, or vampires can run free at any time and werewolves are still only powerful on the full moon."

Madam Adonna shook her head. "This is all very fascinating—and confusing. But why would you want to find this Moonstone? It doesn't sound at all like you to want to rule as a werewolf."

Nodding, Lupin replied, "You're right. It has always been my belief that if such a stone were real, and if it were destroyed, all of us—vampires and lycanthropes alike—would be free of our curse, so to speak. But that's only conjecture."

"Like you said, if only it were true…"


	19. Closer to Home

**CHAPTER NINETEEN:**

**CLOSER TO HOME**

The winter seemed to drag on but spring came with unexpected speed. Shantiel enjoyed the nice breeze in the courtyard as she studied with Hermione and Ginny. Almost everyone had been acting as if the vampire attacks weren't happening. But from what Shan saw, the professors were very concerned.

"So, your mum said that Harry's okay?" Hermione asked in hushed tone. Ginny lowered her book to listen in on the conservation.

"Yes, from what she could tell," the blonde replied, "she couldn't say much more about it." Hermione nodded.

"It's risky for her that we know as much as we do about Harry," Hermione said. Ron looked around them to make sure their conservation was still private.

"My dad told me that the number of attacks has been rising but the Ministry is doing whatever they can to hide it," Ron spoke in disgust. The four had an even deeper hatred for the Ministry now. But there wasn't a thing they could do.

"It's just strange that all these vampires have been attacking so many people as of late. Vampires are usually very subdued creatures. Something must have caused them to blow their cover," Hermione informed the rest of the group.

"Or someone. Maybe it's possible that Voldemort could be behind all of this," Shantiel concluded grimly. Hermione and Ginny's facial expressions changed as they caught on to what her theory had been. I made sense that since all the Death Eaters were either hiding or in Azkaban, Voldemort would have to find others to recruit and why not choose one of the most dangerous creatures known to the Wizarding community.

"In a way, he thinks if he hurts as many people as possible that he'll make Harry come out of hiding to fight him," Shantiel continued.

"It's only a matter of before Voldemort goes after someone we know again." They all knew Hermione was right.

Shan's eyes wandered in the direction of the Dark Forest. For months, she had been wondering who would be next and when Voldemort would be in full power again. Just like Hermione said, it was only a matter of time...

* * *

The news about the legendary Moonstone buzzed quietly in the back of Adonna's mind. She couldn't quite get over the possibility of it being out there. Maybe like the mortal wizards, the immortal magical creatures had their own folklore–the Moonstone being one of them. She entered the Headmaster's office moments later.

"Adonna," Dumbledore addressed her as she entered the room. He studied her for a few seconds before speaking again. "So, Remus is completely healed from the attacks, then?" he asked the Healer.

"Yes, he is," Adonna said with a nod. The Headmaster peered at her over his glasses. He looked outside the window then to one of the portraits. She could tell that either he sensed something or the wheels in his own head were turning.

"Very well," Dumbledore smiled. "I wanted to mention that Snape is certainly looking for a possible cure for Vampirism. Apparently your daughter found something that sparked the professor's interest over the holiday break."

"Oh?" Adonna said. This was very curious indeed.

"Yes. Severus had found the same method while in school himself. He and Regulus had experimented with it before but it had failed. Severus has also discovered a crucial key to what could make the method work," Dumbledore explained as he stroked his beard. He stood and continued, "The item needed is something believed to be a myth."

"The Moonstone," Adonna concluded, nodding. "Remus had mentioned that to me as well before I had left the cottage. He said he had gone looking for it himself some time ago, trying to remove his current ailment."

"I would suspect that he would know what the stone would do for him as legend foretells," Dumbledore said with a slight smile. "I have a theory that if it happens to exist then maybe that is the missing link to what we would need to bring Harry back to the mortal world."

"Are you saying that there could be more to the myth itself?" Adonna asked, perplexed. Dumbledore returned to his seat and nodded. She knew that the headmaster's theories tended to be spot-on but she still questioned this one a bit. On the other hand, she had thought about the very same thing.

"That is exactly what I am saying, Adonna. The only way to find out is to do some intense research," Dumbledore said. "Would you mind sending Remus an owl requesting the supposed location?"

"Not at all, Professor," Adonna said. She stood to leave, "I will relay back to you the information that I receive from Remus."

"Thank you, Adonna. That will be all." Dumbledore said as he bade her goodbye. Soon after the tall healer left, there was a soft creak near the elderly man's desk. Severus Snape stood there, by a secret doorway.

"I trust you heard all that transpired between Madam Adonna and myself just now?"

"I have, Headmaster."

"Thoughts?"

"I suppose it makes sense. The Resurrection Stone–or at least the version of it that Regulus and I had–nearly killed Pandora. I suspect the reason it did is because she's not actually dead. Rather, she is immortal. So if this 'Moonstone' does in fact exist, it might be the key to reversing Vampirism. Or at least, reversing Rome's Vampirism."

"I suspected as much," Dumbledore answered.

"The biggest question now...where is it?"

"Where, indeed?"

The Slytherin professor folded his arms and cupped his chin in one hand. "Surely overhearing the conversation between you and Madam Adonna is not the only reason you have called me here?"

"Right you are, Severus. I am in need of assistance from Harry once more, thus I need you to contact him for me again."

A flicker of annoyance which would be imperceptible to anyone except Albus flashed over Snape's face. "You do not fancy contacting him?"

"No, it isn't that," Severus snapped. "It's just...that..."

"...he has no interest in doing things if it includes myself?" finished Dumbledore.

"Yes. Exactly."

"I suspected as much. In that case, it may be of utmost interest to Harry to know that this part of his journey includes finding another object of Voldemort's."

Snape's eyebrow lifted. "That will doubtless gain you his precious attention, Professor," Severus approved. "I shall see about informing him immediately."

* * *

Viktor and Prometheus were in their traveling tent when a silvery-white doe approached. It left the pair of them a short message in Snape's voice: "Dumbledore requires you to meet with him tonight at 57 Thaumaturgy Lane, Horntail Hollow."

There was no further explanation, no elaboration, nothing. Rome growled, "I see the old man's up to his tricks again."

Perplexed, Viktor said, "Vhat? I alvays thought that you and Dumbledore vere best friends, or something."

"That's it. We _were_. But now, I'm sick of his games. He thought he could just order me around when I was mortal. Well, no more. I'm not going to be his yes-man."

"You mean you're not even going to go to check things out?"

"Not if Dumbledore's going to be there, no."

"I vould, if I vere you. It might be important."

"Oh, I'm certain it is. A man of his importance rarely dabbles in anything trivial," replied Rome, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Wide-eyed, Viktor shrugged and said, "Very vell. I'm going."

"Suit yourself."

Rome was annoyed with Viktor that he would leave without him, but what could he do? Viktor was very much his own person and could do what he wanted and go where he wanted. But that didn't mean Rome was very happy about it.

After Viktor walked out of the tent and Apparated away to wherever 57 Thaumaturgy Lane was, Prometheus sat and stewed on his camp-bed. _That's all it had to be_, Rome thought to himself, _Dumbledore up to his old tricks again, expecting me to do everything for him_. The headmaster would just have to find another patsy to do his bidding, and that's all there was to it. Who did Viktor Krum think he was anyway, taking Rome's place? Why, he'd show Viktor a thing or two. Standing up, Rome almost ran smack into Viktor. The vampire was so entangled in his own thoughts, he hadn't noticed Viktor return right in front of his face.

"Vatch vhere you're going!" Viktor practically yelled in spite of himself.

"Like I was supposed to know you'd appear right in front of my face!" Rome retorted.

"Look, I know you're probably angry I left vithout you, but you need to come back vith me."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you vhy," said Viktor, his eyes suddenly darting around, as if looking for hidden intruders. "Ve might be overheard."

Rome stubbornly jutted out his chin and folded his arms.

"You von't regret it."

"Fine," Prometheus said through gritted teeth, "I'll go."

Stepping outside of the tent, Rome and Viktor Apparated to 57 Thaumaturgy Lane, Horntail Hollow.

"It's vhere he lives," Viktor said helpfully.

Rome hadn't known what to expect when it came to Dumbledore's living arrangements, but it certainly wasn't what he saw before him.

They were standing in what was most likely the lounge. Rainbows of all shapes, sizes, and hues covered each surface. The room virtually exploded in a dazzling display of color.

"Ah, you've arrived," Dumbledore walked into the room, bearing a tea tray and setting it on a small table. He seemed rather pleased, if a bit jumpy, or at least as jumpy as the headmaster could appear. "Please, do have a seat," he motioned to the rainbow-upholstered davenport behind them. He himself sat in a matching chair.

"Tea?" he offered, pouring himself a steaming cup of the liquid. Viktor politely accepted and Rome just stared. Dumbledore had to have known he'd refuse, being as he was now an immortal and tea now tasted like dirt to him.

Dumbledore just gazed placidly at Rome, as if they were about to discuss how to plant tulip bulbs. The elderly professor sat quietly, drinking his tea with Viktor. Every so often, Viktor or Dumbledore would comment on the tea and various other inconsequential things. It irked Rome that Viktor Krum, a young man best known for his abrupt and curt manner, was currently exuding politeness. It was downright exasperating.

Finally, Prometheus could take no more and blurted, "What do you want, Dumbledore?"

The professor's eyes shot straight to his hair line. "I see that you are impatient."

"An astute observation," Rome said sarcastically.

"I see that you are also in no mood for pleasantries?"

"Not a chance. Tell me what I need to know." _So that I can leave_, Rome added silently.

"Very well," Dumbledore sighed, resigned. Prometheus couldn't help but feel a surge of victory at having beaten the professor at his own game. "I didn't simply invite you here for tea, there is a matter of import for us to discuss. I believe I have located another of the Horcruxes."

"So, tell us vhere it is and ve vill find it," answered Viktor.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Dumbledore replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Rome. "Do you or do you not know where the Horcrux is at?"

"Yes, I do. I fear, however, there may be obstacles placed in the way of getting it."

"Magical obstacles?"

"That would be one form of them, yes."

"Fine. Will you take us there or not?" Rome said impatiently.

"At once."

Dumbledore stood up far more quickly than a man his age should have been able to move. He instructed Viktor and Rome each to take an arm for Side-along Disapparation and after experiencing the unpleasant sensation, certain that he could bear no more, Rome and the other two men had arrived at a very dark, very wet, and very ominous-looking location.

The three of them perched precariously on an outcropping overlooking waves and waves of dark ocean. Behind them, an abrupt cliff jutted high into the sky. Rome could not see how mere mortals or Muggles could reach the area they were at.

Viktor and Rome were so caught up in surveying their surroundings that they virtually ignored what Dumbledore was doing until he lighted his wand and shined it under the surface of the water. It was dim, but there appeared to be a small opening leading somewhere.

"I hope you gentlemen don't mind getting wet?" and he plunged into the water, through the hole in the rock. Viktor and Prometheus looked at once another, shrugged, and joined their companion under the water.

Rome went next and Viktor brought up the rear. There was a small cavity inside the rock they had just entered. It could barely accommodate the three of them. They shivered and their teeth chattered and the headmaster dried them off with a spell.

There was no need to ask if this was the right place; both Prometheus and Dumbledore could feel something.

"You can sense it, too?" quizzed Dumbledore. He seemed quite surprised.

"This place has known magic. It reeks of it," Rome confirmed.

Viktor, too, looked astonished but said nothing. Closing his eyes, the young vampire felt along a stretch of rock wall and said, "What we're looking for is...here..."

"I agree," said Dumbledore. "The area we are in now is nothing more than an entrance–an antechamber."

"But it requires us to do something..." Rome said.

"...I believe we must pay tribute..."

"...to the door. Yes." Prometheus withdrew his hand from the wall and pulled out a small two-pronged instrument, exactly like the one Pandora had used on her own wrist for him. Dumbledore and Viktor watched him, fascinated, as he jammed the metal into the flesh of his wrist. Blood spattered across the wall and a large section of rock flickered and disappeared.

Viktor and Dumbledore held their wands aloft and as the rock doorway flashed and disappeared, the three men caught a glimpse of a gigantic underground cavern filled with a lake so vast, they couldn't even see the other side of it. The only light besides their wands was an eerie greenish glow that emanated from what appeared to be the center of the lake.

"Where is your wand, Har–er–Prometheus?" asked Dumbledore awkwardly.

"The one I got from Adonna? I dropped it in the forest after I got bitten the third time," explained Rome, a hint of pique in his voice.

"No, I gave you one."

"You _what? _When?"

"In that package I sent you."

"What package–oh!" Rome closed his eyes in shame. He'd been so angry with Dumbledore, he hadn't bothered to open the thing that the headmaster had given him months ago. "I haven't even...ah..." began Rome sheepishly.

"No need to explain," Dumbledore replied. "However, if you still have that box, you should find a wand in it."

Digging deep, deep into his pocket, Rome found a very small box that he'd had Viktor shrink down to size for him. Dumbledore tapped it twice and brought it back to full size. "I hope you like it," said the headmaster.

Prometheus withdrew the wand from its box, admiring the workmanship. It was nearly identical in color to the stake that Snape had given him, so he looked up at the headmaster and said with surprise, "Lignum vitae."

"With thestral heartstring core," confirmed Dumbledore. "Can you use it?"

"No time like the present to find out. _Lumos!_" Immediately, the wand tip glowed bright white. "I guess that answers that question." It was the first genuine smile that Viktor had seen on the young vampire's face. "I suppose the question now is...where is the Horcrux?"

"I believe it would be in the very center of the lake."

"Any ideas vhere that might be?" Viktor asked.

"Exactly where that green glow is."

"Any ideas how ve get there?"

"We fly, of course," Rome answered in a low bemused voice, almost to himself. They turned to him, unsure of what he was talking about. "I have, ah, new talents now, Professor."

Viktor's eyes opened wide and he said, "You're not going to-" he watched as Rome stood behind Dumbledore and lifted him into the air. "You _are!"_ he exclaimed.

Although momentarily nonplussed at dangling in the air, the professor quickly regained his composure as Prometheus flew him towards the center of the lake.

It seemed nearly impossible, but Dumbledore managed to keep his composure despite being suspended in midair.

Prometheus had immortal eyesight and caught glimpses of what looked like dead bodies floating in the immense lake.

"Thank you, Prometheus," the headmaster said as Rome set him down on what appeared to be a small island in the middle of the lake. A large stone basin stood in the center, the toxic green glow coming from the liquid within it.

"What do you think that stuff is?" asked Rome.

"I couldn't even venture to guess," Dumbledore answered.

"Something wicked and vile, I'd wager."

"No doubt."

"I'll be back with Viktor," Rome said. The headmaster nodded and continued his examination of the basin and its contents, twirling his wand in complex movements.

Viktor was far less agreeable to being flown across the lake than Dumbledore. For one, he could not hold still. It was quite odd for a young man who was used to flying. _Then again, _Rome thought to himself, _he is used to flying on a broomstick._ After fighting with him for what felt like ages, Prometheus set Viktor down on the tiny island next to Dumbledore.

"Have you figured out what that liquid is yet?" asked Rome.

"Unfortunately, no."

"It does not look good, vhatever it is," Viktor said.

"Do you think the Horcrux is in there?"

"I am certain of it," replied Dumbledore. "However I have yet to discover how to reach it. This potion cannot be penetrated by hand, Vanished, parted, scooped up, or siphoned away, nor can it be Transfigured, Charmed, or otherwise made to change its nature."

Raising his wand, Dumbledore twirled it midair and caught a crystal goblet he had conjured out of nowhere.

"I can only conclude that this potion is supposed to be drunk."

"What?" Rome said.

"Vhat?" echoed Viktor. "Are you mad?"

"He's right, Professor," Rome agreed. "We're talking about Lord Voldemort here. Whatever that stuff is, it would most likely kill you."

"Oh, I doubt very much it would work like that. Voldemort would not want to kill the person who reached this island."

Viktor and Rome glanced at each other, half-sure the man had finally gone batty. "Vol-de-mort," Rome repeated slowly. "The man who tried to kill me more than half a dozen times?"

"I apologize, Prometheus," Dumbledore corrected himself. "I should have said Voldemort would not wish to _immediately_ kill the person who had reached this island. He would want to keep them alive long enough to find out how they managed to penetrate so far through his defenses and, most importantly of all, why they were so intent upon emptying the basin. Do not forget that Lord Voldemort believes that he alone knows about his Horcruxes."

"Undoubtedly," said Dumbledore, "this potion will make me act in a way which prevents me from taking the Horcrux. It might paralyze me, cause me to forget what I am here for, create so much pain I am distracted, or render me incapable in some other way. This being the case, Viktor and Prometheus, it will be your job to make sure I keep drinking, even if you have to tip the potion into my protesting mouth. You understand?"

Dumbledore eyes met Rome's over the basin, Rome's eyes full of dark fire and anger. Neither man spoke. Was this why he and Viktor had been invited along–so that they could force-feed Dumbledore a potion that might cause him unendurable pain?

"I realize I cannot make you do this, but I also know that you Viktor, and you Prometheus, are men of high integrity." Viktor puffed up a bit at the compliment, while Rome simply growled low in his throat. "I need your word that you will do as I have requested."

"You have it," Viktor answered immediately.

Something deep inside of Rome wished to acquiesce to the professor's demands, yet because of everything he had experienced over the past few months, his heart had hardened. Instead of giving Dumbledore his word, he simply looked away and gave an imperceptible shake of his head. He just could not bring himself to do it.

The elderly headmaster looked nothing short of crushed at Rome's reaction. Recovering slightly, Dumbledore turned to Viktor and said, "Ready?"

Viktor nodded.

Dumbledore lowered the crystal goblet into the potion and lifted it to his mouth.

"To your good health, gentlemen."

Rome and Viktor watched, riveted, as Dumbledore lowered the empty glass.

"Professor?" Viktor asked anxiously. "How do you feel?"

Dumbledore shook his head, his eyes closed. Rome wondered whether he was in pain. Dumbledore plunged the glass blindly back into the basin, refilled it, and drank once more.

In silence, Dumbledore drank three gobletsful of the potion. Then, halfway through the fourth goblet, he staggered and fell forward against the basin. His eyes were still closed, his breathing heavy.

"Professor Dumbledore?" said Viktor, his voice strained. "Can you hear me?"

Dumbledore did not answer. His face was twitching as though he was deeply asleep, but dreaming a horrible dream. His grip on the goblet was slackening; the potion was about to spill from it. Viktor reached forward and grasped the crystal cup, holding it steady.

"Professor, can you hear me?" repeated Viktor loudly, his voice echoing around the cavern.

Dumbledore took shallow breaths and spoke in a voice that Rome had never heard him speak in before.

"I don't want... Don't make me..." the professor said, in a voice like a frightened child.

Viktor stared into the man's whitened face, at the crooked nose and half-moon spectacles, and did not know what to do.

"...don't like...want to stop..." moaned Dumbledore.

"Stupid old man," mumbled Prometheus, frustrated as ever with Dumbledore.

Viktor threw him a dirty look, saying, "You can't stop, Professor. You've got to keep drinking, remember? Here..." and Viktor forced the goblet back toward Dumbledore's mouth and tipped it, so that Dumbledore drank the rest of the potion in it.

"Noooo..." Dumbledore groaned, as Viktor lowered the goblet back into the basin and refilled it for him. "I don't want to... I don't want to. ...Let me go..."

All the while, Rome had folded his arms tight to his chest, muttering to himself increasingly loudly, "Stupid old man, stupid old man, stupid old man..." like a mantra.

"It's all right, Professor," said Viktor, "It's all right."

"Make it stop, make it stop," moaned Dumbledore.

"Yes...yes, this'll make it stop," said Viktor. He tipped the contents of the goblet into Dumbledore's open mouth.

"I can't believe you're letting him do this!" Rome shouted at the young man, unable to bear watching any longer. "He's only _using_ you to do his bidding, and it's killing him! Can't you see?"

"Get out of the vay," Viktor said tersely, "some of us have a job to do." And he pushed passed Rome to get to the basin.

Dumbledore screamed; the noise echoed all around the vast chamber, across the dead black water.

"No, no, no, no, I can't, I can't, don't make me, I don't want to..."

"It's all right, Professor, it's all right!" said Viktor loudly, scooping up the sixth gobletful of potion; the basin was now half-empty. He brought the crystal goblet back over to the elderly man, but this time, Dumbledore would not drink.

"He...he doesn't trust me anymore!" Viktor yelled, frustrated. "He won't listen!"

For a moment, Rome turned his back on them, trying to pretend as if they didn't exist, as if Viktor wasn't reaching out to him, asking him to do the impossible.

For so long now, Prometheus had avoided those he loved and cared about for this very reason, to avoid harming them. And here Viktor was, demanding he demolish his personal edict, right then and there. If that's what Dumbledore wanted, then _fine._ Something inside of Rome had snapped. He whirled around, ordering Viktor, "Give me the goblet."

He walked over to Dumbledore, feigning a calm he did not even come close to feeling, "Nothing's happening to you, you're safe, it isn't real, I swear it isn't real–take this, now, take this..."

And obediently, Dumbledore drank, as though it was an antidote Rome offered him, but upon draining the goblet, he sank to his knees, shaking uncontrollably.

"It's all my fault, all my fault," he sobbed. "Please make it stop, I know I did wrong, oh please make it stop and I'll never, never again..."

"This will make it stop, Professor," Rome said, his voice soft as he tipped the seventh glass of potion into Dumbledore's mouth. Carefully, almost lovingly, he held the professor in his arms, rocking him back and forth as if he were a small child. He handed the empty goblet to Viktor who refilled and returned it to him.

Dumbledore began to cower as though invisible torturers surrounded him; his flailing hand almost knocked the refilled goblet out of Rome's hand as he moaned, "Don't hurt them, don't hurt them, please, please, it's my fault, hurt me instead..."

Once again, Rome gave Viktor the goblet and he refilled it.

"Here, drink this, and you'll be all right," Rome pleaded, and once again Dumbledore obeyed him, opening his mouth even as he kept his eyes tight shut and shook from head to foot.

And now he fell forward, screaming again, hammering his fists upon the ground, while Viktor filled the ninth goblet.

"Please, please, please, no...not that, not that, I'll do anything..."

"Just drink, Professor, just drink..."

Dumbledore drank like a child dying of thirst, but when he had finished, he yelled again as though his insides were on fire. "No more, please, no more..."

Viktor scooped up a tenth gobletful of potion and he and Rome both heard the crystal scrape the bottom of the basin.

"We're nearly there, Professor. Drink this, drink it..."

He held Dumbledore's shoulders and again, Dumbledore drained the glass; then Viktor nimbly returned to the basin and refilled the goblet as Dumbledore began to scream in more anguish than ever, "I want to die! I want to die! Make it stop, make it stop, I want to die!"

"Drink this, Professor, drink this..."

Dumbledore drank, and no sooner had he finished than he yelled, "KILL ME!"

"If this one doesn't, than I will!" swore Rome. He was on the verge of tears. "Just drink this, and it'll be over...all over!"

Dumbledore gulped at the goblet, drained every last drop, and then, with a great, rattling gasp, rolled over out of Rome's arms and onto his face.

"No!" Rome shouted, dropping the goblet on the stone island. He flung himself back over to Dumbledore. He barely registered that Viktor was now holding a golden locket in his hands.

Viktor stashed the Horcrux and joined Rome in heaving Dumbledore over onto his back; Dumbledore's glasses were askew, his mouth agape, his eyes closed. "No," Rome repeated, "you stupid old man! You're _not_ dead, you said it wasn't poison, wake up, wake up, – _Rennervate!" _he cried, his wand pointing at Dumbledore's chest; there was a flash of red light, but nothing happened. "_Rennervate _– sir – please –"

Dumbledore's eyes flickered; Rome's heart leapt. In spite of himself, he had reverted back to his old way of addressing his headmaster.

"Sir, are you – ?"

"Water," croaked Dumbledore.

"Water," Rome said, slightly exasperated, clambering around for the goblet he had dropped, "yes..."

Viktor and Rome were otherwise preoccupied with Dumbledore and hadn't noticed that the goblet had rolled into the water, awakening what lay within it.

"I think ve have bigger problems than vater," Viktor said needlessly.

Water-logged reanimated bodies were now making their way toward the party of three. Rome and Viktor threw spells every which way, trying to stop the Inferi's inexorable pursuit.

"Go!" Viktor shouted at Rome, fighting off at least a half dozen of the Inferi. "You need to get Dumbledore out of here!" He shouted another spell in a different language when suddenly, his wand began trailing a great lasso of fire as he whirled it around in the air.

_Of course, _Rome realized dully, _Inferi would be afraid of fire..._ as he lifted Dumbledore into the air and began to fly back toward the exit. He hated to leave Viktor behind, but he couldn't carry both of them at the same time. Dumbledore was mumbling odd things as Rome carried him midflight. As Rome landed on the shore where they had originally started, something occurred to him.

_"Kreacher!"_ yelled Rome into the dark cavern.

He heard a distinct _crack!_ and the filthy house-elf appeared right next to him. As soon as Kreacher saw where he was at, he abruptly stopped his muttering about half-blood vampiric filth and began cowering in fear. It wasn't because of the Inferi, however...for they had not reached the shore.

"Kreacher doesn't want to be here, no, this is where Master Regulus died..."

Shocked by this new revelation, Rome shook himself and said sternly, "Kreacher, I order you to rescue Viktor Krum at once, and take him to Severus Snape!"

For a moment, Kreacher looked as if he might refuse, but the ensuing danger had caused Rome to bear his fangs. "I said _DO IT NOW!_" he shouted to Kreacher. The old house-elf yelped and disappeared.

At the moment, it mattered not whether Kreacher had done as Prometheus told him. What mattered most was getting Dumbledore some expert attention, and that was exactly what Rome intended to do, whether or not Dumbledore had brought it on himself.


	20. Deception

**CHAPTER TWENTY:**

**DECEPTION**

Just before spring holiday, Adonna wished to speak with Shantiel. The blonde girl sat in the chair across from Adonna. She was evidently very curious as to what her mother wanted to discuss with her.

Adonna smiled, hoping to ease Shan's nerves a bit. She had been wondering about what happened when Shan had entered the forest in search of Harry some months ago; especially now since he had somewhat returned to their view. Harry was very different from other vampires, and Adonna wished to discover why. She felt that a conversation with Shantiel might help her in her discovery. "I am sorry to take you away from classes, but there has been something I have been wondering about," Adonna started.

"What is it about, Mum?" The blonde inquired of her mother. Adonna smiled again in reassurance. She turned serious but still showed a level of empathy for Shan. She was unsure of how this may go. Shantiel had never shown any interest whatsoever in wanting to talk about the night she'd gone into the forest in search of Harry.

Adonna took a deep breath before answering, "I know that this particular subject is difficult for you to speak of so if you don't want to tell me then I will not push it. I've been needing to know—what happened that night when you went to look for Harry?" There was a long pause afterwards. Adonna could see pain within the sapphire blue eyes that looked at her.

Shan sighed and began telling her account with the young vampire, "I walked into the heart of the forest…and I came to a pond. I was so determined I was doing the right thing…." Shan's voice faded as she stopped to recollect herself and continued, "I sat by the side of the pond, looking at my reflection in the water for some time. Then I saw his reflection next to mine for a second-"

"Wait…what did you just say?" Adonna suddenly interrupted Shan. The blonde was slightly flustered at her mother's outburst. "Sorry, dear, but what did you say about seeing his reflection in the water?" Adonna again questioned Shan.

"I saw his reflection next to mine in the water," Shantiel repeated, unsure to what her mother was thinking.

"Again I do apologize for not making any sense. You see," Adonna continued with some excitement, "full immortal vampires don't have the ability to produce a reflection in or on any reflective object," Adonna explained. "So, I'm confused and curious that you were able to see his reflection at all in the water."

"Oh," Shan said as she soaked in her mother's words. Now she began to wonder how that was possible if indeed Harry was now a full immortal.

"Thank you for the information. It could be vital to what we are trying to do," Adonna said, already planning on going to Dumbledore's straightaway. She bid her daughter goodbye before heading through the secret door that led to his office.

* * *

She entered to the Headmaster's office only to be reminded that he had taken ill some days before. She knew where she should probably go next but she only half-heartedly wanted to walk the Slytherin corridors. But who else could she go to about what she had just found out about Harry? She swallowed her pride and quickly made her way down the drafty dungeons of the school to a door that was hidden away by a half wall. She knocked on the door keeping her professor demeanor.

"Yes," drawled Severus's voice from within the room. Adonna briskly walked inside. She could tell by the man's expression that he had not expected on her visiting him. But the tall healer pressed on.

"Madam Adonna, what brings you here?" Severus asked with the usual suppressed irritation. Adonna ignored it as she seated herself in the chair.

"I take it that Albus on the mend?" Adonna questioned. Severus nodded in reply.

"Yes, but it will be some time before he is completely well," Severus said, impatiently.

"Indeed, I am sorry to impose on you like this but since Albus is not available you are the next person who should know." Adonna continued, "Until a few minutes ago I had been curious as to why Prometheus is unlike most Immortals. Shantiel had told me her experience of her encounter with him a few months ago. Apparently she saw his reflection in the water next to hers."

"That doesn't make any sense at all and very unlikely to happen," Severus thought out loud. "But then again it causes one to think that maybe Prometheus still has some human in him still if he still possesses his soul," he concluded.

"I think that is part of the key to being successful in the cure for him. _If_ the Moonstone is truly out there," Adonna spoke in a solemn tone. Both professors knew how risky it will was but by knowing this it may everything all the more dangerous.

* * *

Prometheus lay on his cot, trying to block out what had happened a few days ago. Luckily, he was able to get the headmaster to Spinner's End and had stayed there for a couple days to make sure that Dumbledore was out of the woods. He came back only to tell Dumbledore that Rome and Viktor had discovered that the locket wasn't the real Horcrux; it was just a decoy that also held a note which read:

To the Dark Lord,

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal again.

R.A.B

_Great, what we need is to make this journey more complicated,_ Prometheus thought to himself. Now they needed to figure out who R.A.B was and where he hid the real locket. There was something else that tugged on the vampire's subconscious. Kreacher had said that the cave was where Sirius's younger brother, Regulus, had died.

It didn't take long for Rome to put two and two together. R.A.B. had to have been Regulus but if he died in the cave how was he able to transfer the real locket to its current hiding place, wherever that might be? Rome had the answer to that question as well.

"Kreacher!" Rome stood as he yelled out the House Elf's name. In seconds the elderly elf appeared in front of the young vampire. Like in the cave the foul creature showed limited fear but it was enough.

"You called for Kreacher, Master?" Kreacher bowed down, mumbling epithets to himself about vampiric evilness.

"Yes, I did, Kreacher," Rome said. Viktor walked over to see what his travelling partner was up to. "I need to know if you know what happened to the other locket?" Rome interrogated him. Immediately Kreacher shook his head with his hands covering his face.

"It was evil, it was, Kreacher did not like it at all. But Kreacher obeyed Master Regulus's orders," Kreacher recalled acting fearful as he had in the cave. Rome continued his questioning. "Kreacher tried everything he could to destroy it, as Master Regulus said, but Kreacher could not." The house-elf was on the verge of tears.

"So, you know where it is?" Prometheus insisted and he bared his fangs to get his point across. Kreacher remained silent, hesitant to tell Rome where it was. "Kreacher, I need to know where it is!" Prometheus growled impatiently. "Kreacher!"

"Kreacher had it taken from him by another elf," the elf finally confessed regaining his voice. "So, Kreacher does not know where it was hidden." Patience was starting to run very thin for Rome. He was becoming increasingly annoyed once again. He however stayed calm.

"Who did you give it to hide?" Prometheus asked silently hoping that Kreacher knew so the game of guess who could stop. Kreacher once again became silently in telling the vampire.

"Kreacher gave it to the traitor elf," Kreacher said, bitterly, "He took it and never told Kreacher where he hid it." Rome sighed. It could have been a number of house elves but then again he only knew of one that broke the rules of being a house elf.

"Kreacher, I would like you to go back to Hogwarts and come back with Dobby? Is that clear?" Rome demanded of Kreacher.

"Yes, if Master wishes so," Kreacher bowed again and left with a loud _crack_. Rome didn't know how Dobby would react to his change but he needed to know where the locket was.

It didn't take much longer because moments later, both young men heard two cracks. Kreacher stood there with obvious annoyance with a very timid Dobby by his side. Rome just stayed where he was, afraid to upset the other elf.

"Dobby came only because Kreacher asked him to," Dobby said, toying with the end of his tea cozy. Rome softened his tone as he spoke to Dobby.

"Yes, Dobby I asked Kreacher because I need to know where you hid the locket that you took from Kreacher?" Rome asked, immediately upon hearing his voice Dobby's eyes grew bigger. Dobby slowly stepped closer to him and studied him.

"Harry Potter?" Dobby asked in his usual way, still analyzing him carefully. Rome nodded and his stomach lurched at the name he never wished to hear again.

"It is me, Dobby, but I go by a different name now. It's Prometheus," he said but he repeated his question. "Where did you hide the locket, Dobby?"

"Dobby hid the locket in a chest that was in the Malfoys' Manor, sir," Dobby said, "Dobby hid it so no one else would find it, especially his old masters," he finished with a shiver. Rome looked at him as his thoughts were coming together.

"Dobby, could you take us to where you hid it?" Rome asked hopefully. Dobby looked at him for a moment as if to trust him or not. He gave a short nod.

"Dobby will take Prometheus and his friend there," Dobby said with his usual attitude. Although initially cautious, Dobby appeared to be warming again to Rome. The house-elf walked over to Rome and took his hand and Viktor took his hand as well. They all Disapparated to Malfoy Manor.

The three of them appeared inside of a dusty old room which looked like it hadn't been used in years. Viktor coughed.

"The dust is very thick in here," he complained.

"It is why Dobby chose to hide it here," explained the little house-elf, "Dobby's old masters never come in here."

"Never, Dobby?" asked Prometheus. His eyes were glued toward the room's entrance. Draco Malfoy stood there, his wand hand pointed toward them. He was trembling terribly.

"So, Potter," Draco said shakily, "come to steal something out of our manor?" He looked as if he might drop his wand.

Prometheus moved so fast that Draco hardly had time to blink before the vampire showed up in front of his face, ripped the wand out of his hand, and stared into his face. Draco looked on the verge of tears as Rome said, "I haven't come here to take anything that belongs to you." Then the vampire gestured to Dobby, saying, "Go ahead, Dobby, and find what we need. You don't have to worry about Draco."

Dobby quickly resumed walking over to a ornate wooden chest. It was huge and gilded, and had a large lock on it. Dobby simply snapped his fingers, opened it, had Viktor lift the lid, and rummaged around inside a bit. The house-elf produced a golden locket which had a filigreed "S" on the front.

"If you tell anyone we were here, Draco," Rome warned, "I'm coming for you."

Then Dobby handed the locket to Prometheus, took his and Viktor's hands, and Disapparated.

* * *

A day or so later, Prometheus sat on the boulder just outside of the tent and twirled the locket in his hand, looking for some type of dip or hidden clue on to how to open it. Rome and Viktor tried everything they could think of to open the locket. Even just holding it in his hand, Rome could feel each pulse of what was inside of it. In a way it seemed to be calling to him. In frustration he sighed. There had to be a way to open it.

Then it came to him…what if Voldemort had sealed it by using Parseltongue and that was the only way to unlock it? He sat it down on a log just as Viktor walked out of the tent. Rome stepped back from the object and closed his eyes in concentration.

"What are you doing?" Viktor asked, watching the vampire intensely, curious over what was about to happen.

Prometheus opened his eyes and hissed, "Open!" Suddenly, like a volcanic eruption blackness spilled into the sky, swirling above them.

Voldemort's voice spoke from within the darkness, "Ah yes, young virgin blood, I know the darkest fears of your soul. Now it's time for me to show them to you," he laughed. Both young men watched as the dark cloud swirled faster. Three silvery figures walked out of the swirling mist. Rome stared in mild confusion at the forms of his two best mates and his beloved.

"Harry, why did you leave us when we needed you the most?" the Horcrux-Ron said, as another form stood behind him. There stood a satanic version of himself. Shockingly, and to Prometheus's horror, he watched himself bite into the neck of his best mate and drain him dry with untamed satisfaction. Rome knew that the Horcrux was toying with him. He couldn't let this thing consume him…

"Viktor, go get the sword!" Prometheus bellowed over his shoulder to the young man who was frozen in horror. "Viktor, _go_!" Rome commanded. Viktor tore himself away from the terrifying vision and ran back into the tent. Prometheus fought with all of his strength to close it. The Horcrux-Hermione spoke next in the same taunting manner.

"How could you abandon us like this? Why have you turned against us, your very best friends?" Horcrux-Hermione said. Just as with Ron, Rome once again witnessed the demonic version of himself bite into Hermione's neck and drain all the blood from the bushy-haired girl. Her screams were eerily louder than normal. Viktor raced toward the young man with the sword in his hand. Rome reached for it but stopped as the darkened version of his soul love spoke.

"I love you, Harry. It doesn't have to be like this. There is a way that you can end the horror," Horcrux-Shantiel cried, her eyes hard yet full of tears. It frightened him. It reminded him of how his own eyes looked now. Rome remained frozen as he stared at the silvery form of Shan. His own laughter, cruel and twisted, rang through the darkness. Except it wasn't his laughter—it came from his Horcrux-form. The evil version of Rome took his place behind the girl, the mouth and face dripping with blood.

"Why hide from the truth, Harry Potter?" His demonic self asked with a wicked sneer. "You changed your name, just like Voldemort. He tried to hide from the truth, too." It was true. Every bit of it. He knew it, and something inside begged to him to stop running…to just give in to the awful truth…

"What are you waiting for!" Viktor shouted over the sound. "Destroy it!"

"You can't fight what is natural to you," Horcrux-Harry went on. "It's useless to go against who you are now." Rome tried to close his eyes to block out what was coming, "It's only a matter of time." In a transfixed state, he stood rooted in one spot, watching himself hurting Shantiel, and listening to her screams just like in his nightmares. Finally his eyes shut. He opened his eyes only to see the silvery version of Shantiel slowly wilting away in his arms, her blood everywhere, as if it were _him_ who had drained her.

"You see, no one is safe around you," continued Horcrux-Harry. "When are you going to stop lying to yourself? You're a monster now and nothing can change that. You are never going to be Harry Potter again!" His blood-covered image spat, driving an invisible sword into his stomach. He was right.

"KILL THE THING, HARRY!" Viktor's voice cut though the despair into which Prometheus had fallen. The vampire grabbed the sword and with all the strength that he could muster stabbed through the heart of the locket. Screams burst forth from the evil thing as it was struck. Again and again, Prometheus swung the sword into the heart of the Horcrux, and little by little the horrid visions and swirling mists of darkness dissipated. At the end of it all, Rome sat there panting heavily, his stomach lurching, everything swirling around in his mind. Tears streamed down his face. He had only felt that type of power once before. It was when he and his friends thought that he had destroyed Voldemort the previous year. Viktor ran up to him.

"Are you alright?" Viktor asked out of extreme concern. The vampire nodded as his breathing returned to normal.

"Yes, thank you," Rome said. Yet deep down, he still wondered if what the Horcrux said was right. Prometheus stood and picked up the broken locket before following Viktor back into the tent.


	21. Weasley Worries

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:**

**WEASLEY WORRIES**

The Burrow occupants woke to Molly Weasley making her rounds to each room. She was even more particular about everything than normal, given that day was the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding. Immediately after breakfast the boys followed Arthur outside to set up the canopy and what else was needed for the wedding. It didn't take long to transform the backyard into an elegant beautiful dream wedding setting. The twins teased Ron since he didn't have a chance with Fleur that he may had a shred of a chance with one of her cousins. He nearly smashed one of the glasses in his retort causing Hermione to chide him for thirty minutes.

It was shortly before lunch that guests arrived in small clusters. Shantiel was impressed by just how big the Weasley family had been. The house quickly filled with people. Hermione and Ginny introduced Shantiel to Fleur's sister Gabrielle. The girls gathered in Ginny's room to get ready. Gabrielle and Shantiel became good friends. She had heard about Beauxbatons at Hogwarts.

Rumors flew around that the tiara that Fleur was wearing had been made by Goblins. Fleur looked so elegant in her dress. Before the ceremony, Molly made sure that everyone knew their places and where to go. The beautiful symphonic music began and one by one each pair of the wedding party walked down the aisle. Shantiel couldn't help but be overjoyed for the couple next to her. Their joy seemed to spread across the area as tears of happiness flowed.

Everyone stood and cheered as the union was completed by the traditional kiss. Flower petals fell upon them while the wedding entourage made their way back down the aisle. Everyone followed the path to another canopy where tables were set up. It looked like a smaller version of the Great Hall feast.

The new couple was announced upon their entrance and once again applause sounded. Groups of people made their way up to the happy couple for congratulations. Shantiel sat at a table in the back, watching the crowd. She couldn't help wishing that Harry should have been there and how happy he would have been for everybody. A voice from her left brought her out of her thoughts.

"So beautiful, isn't it?" Hermione said as she sat next to her best friend. Ginny and Ron followed.

"Yes, very," Shantiel said looking around, admiring everything. She sighed and Ginny squeezed her hand.

"He is here in spirit you know," Ginny said as she read Shantiel's mind. Shantiel gave her a small sad smile.

"I know and thanks," Shantiel said, grateful for her friends' understanding. Ron stood and grabbed her hand. She gave him an odd look but Ginny nudged her lightly. Shantiel stood and awkwardly followed Ron to where people were dancing. Ron took her hands and started dancing with her. She felt completely ridiculous and wanted to be back at the table. Ron twirled her unexpectedly, causing her bad mood to disappear. The blonde girl laughed in shock and delight, letting herself enjoy the moment. The song ended about two minutes later. Shantiel politely thanked Ron for cheering her up.

A little while longer, Shantiel stole away and walked out to the orchard alone. She could still hear the music and laughter from within the canopy not far away. Despite what seemed to be nothing but darkness coming from all directions, the wedding seemed to be the only light. Everything went perfectly and Fleur's true happiness made her the most beautiful. The young woman was truly happy for the newlyweds but it tore just a little at her scarred heart. For months now, she had been trying to ignore the shards of a shattered love that were stabbing her…but now it was almost unbearable. The tiniest part of her was jealous of Bill and Fleur.

Shan closed her eyes and held her wand out in front of her. What Ron did reminded her of when Harry comforted her after the terrible break up with Jayden. The feeling engulfed her with full force. "Expecto Patronum!" she shouted into the night. She opened her eyes expecting her beautiful silvery Pegasus to form in front of her. The silver wisps formed together but the creature that should in front of her actually shocked the girl. Her Patronus had taken shape of a Stag instead. It galloped majestically around her before vanishing into the night. It left her with the same peace as her own Patronus had.

* * *

Severus Snape had decided it was high time that he discuss the origins of this mysterious Moonstone with Remus Lupin. It was when Dumbledore was at Snape's home recovering that Snape invited the werewolf over as well.

The Slytherin professor sat across his meager living space from both the headmaster and Lupin. While it was commonplace to have the three in the same room together, it was highly odd for Snape to have two Gryffindors in his home, much less at the same time. _This place is crawling with Godric worshipers, _he lamented. He supposed it was occupational hazard, now that it was out he had worked for the Light contingent the entire time. It also left Snape rather exposed to the Death Eaters and other Dark supporters now that the Dark Lord was on the rise again. While it was dangerous, Snape much preferred being a double-agent. That position had its own security.

"Lupin..." began Snape, "tell me about this Moonstone."

"As I told Adonna, it is merely a legend regarding Vampires and Werewolves. I haven't any idea where the thing might be, even if it exists. I know no more than the average lycanthrope about the matter. I apologize for my lack of information."

"Where was the last known location?" Dumbledore asked.

"I've no idea. For all I know, Albus, it could be in your office at Hogwarts," Lupin joked. Both Gryffindors smiled.

Snape was intrigued by the idea and found it difficult to keep his mind on the conversation. He should his head. Everything seemed to lead back to the school. Could the very stone he'd been seeking be at Hogwarts after all?

* * *

It took Prometheus a good two weeks to get rid of the nightmares that the locket induced in him. The last words of the Horcrux echoed in his mind; he knew it wasn't true but he couldn't help half believing it. They had two Horcruxes left now but due to what happened in the cave, they most likely wouldn't hear anything about the remaining ones for a while. Prometheus thought that it would be the time to go back to Pandora. He walked into the cave.

"Oh, you're home, darling?" Pandora said sarcastically, causing Rome to smile a little.

"Hello, Dora," Rome said. He knew she could sense something was up. He ignored it and sat down on a nearby boulder.

"I thought you were searching for what you needed to find?" Pandora asked with a hint of concern.

"Something happened so the search is on a standstill for a while," Prometheus reported. He tried hiding his slight annoyance. He realized something else that Pandora had told him...something before he had left the last time they were together.

"Aren't you supposed to be at Crimson Palace?" Rome asked curiously. Pandora raised an eyebrow. She turned away from him as she answered his question.

"Zeus hasn't been around much and besides I wanted to be back here in case you came back again," she said, Rome knew she was avoiding discussing something but he decided to let it go.

She decided to pursue the issue that was bothering him and questioned, "Honestly, what is wrong?"

Resigned to the fact that Dora was not going to let this go, Rome decided to tell her what was going on...at least, after a fashion.

"Well, there's this...associate of mine...and he got himself into a bit of trouble."

"And this bothers you?"

"Yes, it bothers me a lot."

"Did this 'associate' of yours bring this trouble on himself?"

"Yes," Rome answered without hesitation.

"Did he get himself killed?"

"Almost."

"So he's still alive?"

"Yes."

"And he'll recover?"

"Eventually, yes."

"Then what's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal?" shouted Rome. Dora folded her arms and watched him rant. "He nearly gets himself killed after dragging along Viktor and I for the ride!"

"So you're angry he brought you along?"

"Yes!"

"Were you afraid for yourself?"

"Of course not," Prometheus scoffed, "I'm immortal now, I had nothing to worry about."

"Were you afraid for Viktor?"

"Not much, he can take care of himself."

"Then," Dora said carefully, "I have come to the conclusion you were afraid for your other associate."

"Yes," Rome considered, "I was very afraid for him."

"And you didn't like it."

"Not at all."

"Because you don't wish to care for him."

"I _don't_ care about him!"

"Oh, but you _do_, Rome. You care for him a lot. You care about him so much that it's consumed you the last two weeks."

Prometheus picked up a rock, threw it against the cave wall, and the rock shattered into a million pieces.

"Yes," he answered angrily, "you're right. But I'll be damned before I tell him that."

* * *

Viktor and Prometheus sat quietly in their tent until Rome broke the silence. He turned toward Viktor and asked a question.

"Where do you think the next Horcrux is hidden?"

Viktor gave a half-smile and answered, "Vell, if I was going to hide something very important and I didn't vish for anyvun else to find it, I vould hide it at Hogvarts."

Thunderstruck, Rome just stared at him for a time before replying, "That has to be the most mind-bogglingly obvious thing you've ever said, Viktor."

Viktor shrugged.

"And so," said Rome, "you must go there and talk to Dumbledore. Because I refuse."

Rolling his eyes, Viktor said, "Very vell, if you vish not to come along. I shall go soon. Most likely vunce Dumbledore has recovered."

* * *

The headmaster leaned on his much-hated cane and stood up out of his seat. Dumbledore hadn't been back on the job at Hogwarts very long before tragedy struck again. Dumbledore's eyes were concerned as he addressed the two red-haired young people in front of him.

Ron and Ginny Weasley gazed at him warily; they knew they were about to be given some very bad news. It had happened in the Headmaster's office enough times before. Again, it was the middle of the night. Ron yawned in spite of himself.

"Three of your brothers, George, Bill, and Charlie, have each been attacked by vampires this evening. Fred and Percy have barely managed to escape the attacks meant for them. I am not currently aware of their exact conditions, but your mother and father and I are all of the mind that these attacks were no coincidence. Also–Ron, and Ginny?" Dumbledore put a hand on each of their shoulders, making certain he had their undivided attention. "We caught several vampires on the outskirts of the school grounds tonight. It is our belief that it was their intention to get to the pair of you. As much as I know you wish to visit your injured brothers at St. Mungo's, it is also safest for you two here at Hogwarts right now. Arthur and Molly will come to visit you after things have calmed down."

"But that's not fair! I want to–"

Dumbledore looked deep into Ginny's eyes and said, "I know it's not fair, but it is the right thing. Would you want your parents to have even more injured children to worry about?"

"We know you're right," Ron protested, "but we...just...want..."

"You want to be with your family," finished Dumbledore.

"Yes."

"Since I know the pair of you will no doubt pace the floors and wake up everyone in your dormitories, I will have you wait here and summon both Hermione and Shantiel to my office. Is that satisfactory?"

"Yes, oh, please!"

"It shall be done immediately."


	22. A Most Difficult Choice

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:**

**A MOST DIFFICULT CHOICE**

Dumbledore allowed Ginny, Shantiel, Hermione, and Ron to visit St. Mungo's that weekend as long as they had an escort the entire time. Fred joked about how now this would be a great story to tell their future children. George piped in that he always wanted a vampire for a brother. Fleur stayed at Bill's side the entire time.

"Well, I'm now part werewolf and part vampire," Bill said. Everyone looked at each other ruefully. Shantiel could see the worry that the Molly Weasley was trying to hide.

"We are so sorry to hear about what happened," Hermione said, as the girls both hugged Mrs. Weasley. She smiled weakly and nodded.

"We are just grateful that nothing worse happened and that you four were safe," Molly said, relieved, while running her fingers through Ginny's hair.

"But how did they know where everyone was?" Ron asked curiously. His father let out a deep breath.

"We honestly don't know, it all happened so fast," Arthur stated, "but you need to be more watchful, especially in the weeks to come. Who knows when or how they will strike next."

They stayed for about a half hour more before returning back to the school. All four remained quiet. Hermione suddenly halted down the corridor before the Gryffindor Tower. She looked down the right corridor for a moment. She faced the others who looked at her with confusion.

"I think it's time to restart the DA," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "Tonight." They all gave a murmur of agreement. The DA hadn't been together since long before Harry's disappearance but now was as good of a time as any to restart.

During dinner, Shantiel was surprised with how fast Hermione got word out because almost all of the Gryffindors were huddled in one spot.

One by one all the members left the Great Hall to the Room of Requirement. Hermione stood with the other three in front of their waiting audience.

"Thank you for coming. We felt like it was time that the DA was brought back," Hermione started. "We also know that Harry would have wanted this, especially with all of the vampire attacks lately." Whispers and murmurs spread among the group but Ginny continued on.

"To protect this school and everyone close to us we have to step up once again like our former leader. Now we are all the leaders," Ginny said, Ron stepped up next his sister. "We will put to use what we have learned."

A girl's voice spoke out of the crowd, "So you're basically trying to riot against the Ministry again," she stated. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny glared at the dark-haired Ravenclaw. Shantiel had heard of her. It was Cho Chang. Cho's best friend Marietta had snitched on the group two years ago.

"We never 'rioted' against the Ministry. We just were determined that we should stay vigilant and not let Umbridge walk all over us," Ginny said angrily.

"How can you stand up for a woman who used Veritaserum on you, Cho?" Hermione asked reasonably. Cho looked away, at a loss for words.

"Cho, you can go. No one here wants to know what you have to say," Ginny said coldly. Cho glared at her.

"You obviously don't understand what we are up against," Shantiel said in a firm tone. Cho's cheeks flushed to a pale pink as Neville Longbottom continued.

"Cho, the vampires are becoming more hostile so only it's a matter of time before Hogwarts is caught in the middle of it, one way or another. These four are right," Neville said, standing up for Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Shantiel. "We are not going to stand by and watch it happen! If all you have to do is argue against us, then you can leave." Cho remained rooted to the ground for what seemed like centuries before she finally left in a huff.

"I think we should sign a secrecy paper again," said Hermione, as everybody agreed.

"It only makes sense after what Marietta and Cho did last time," Ron pointed out.

Severus walked around Dumbledore's office, chatting with Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait. He found the former Slytherin headmaster most illuminating, and the man happened to have a certain penchant with potions. Phineas's skills didn't match Severus's, but the conversation was enjoyable just the same. It was Phineas who had helped Snape develop the potion for Rome.

"So in regards to the wolfsbane, you would use less instead of more to suppress the vampiric virus?" asked Snape.

"Yes, because the immortal metabolism processes it far slower," Phineas answered.

"Ah, I see. That makes sense."

"Of course it does." Then Phineas looked sideways at Snape. "Incidentally, I have heard you and Dumbledore speaking about a Moonstone lately."

Severus eyed Phineas. It wasn't like the man in the portrait to initiate a topic of conversation. Typically, he was quite reserved and required just the right type of question to be asked.

"Yes. You have heard of it, then?"

"I have."

"Can you tell me about it?"

"I can tell you that it is real."

Severus folded his arms and looked at the portrait. "Are you certain?"

"I wouldn't be telling you so if it weren't. The only thing is...that it's hidden in this very office."

One of Severus's eyebrows shot straight up. Why would Dumbledore have kept the hiding place of the Moonstone a secret? _He wouldn't have_, thought Snape. The only explanation was that Phineas must know where and why the stone is hidden while Dumbledore...did not.

"Tell me more, Headmaster Black."

"Very well. Whilst I was headmaster, there was a flare-up of vampire and werewolf activity in the Dark Forest. I was curious as to why, and could only come up with the answer of the Moonstone. The other name it is know by is the 'Luna Crystal'. Precious few mortals know about its existence, because it is a secret the vampires and werewolves like to keep amongst themselves. I could not figure out how to destroy it, however, so I hid the thing."

Severus's other eyebrow rose, he put his hands on his hips, and squarely faced the portrait in front of him. The other portraits squirmed uncomfortably as the picture of Armando Dippet commented, "Oh, you're in for it now."

"And _where_ did you hide it?" Severus said, his temper rising.

"My good man," said Headmaster Black, "all you had to do was ask. You are, after all, a proper Slytherin" And Phineas held out a clear round stone which was polished so one could see through it.

Snape looked sideways at the portrait, shook his head, and reached out for the stone. He was certain that Phineas was mad, that no way existed for the stone to be real, but his jaw nearly hit the floor as he plucked the jewel straight from Phineas's hand and now held it in his own.

"Incredible," Severus whispered, "how did you do that? That's just like the time that Dumbledore put the Philosopher's Stone–"

"In the mirror of Erised?" Phineas interrupted.

"Yes!" Snape answered.

Then Headmaster Black folded his arms and said self-righteously, "Whom do you think gave him the idea?"

Severus shook his head again. "And to think, this whole time, he was practically bragging about how clever he was, and he got the idea from you! I should have guessed only a Slytherin could come up with such a scheme. I must tell Dumbledore at once," Snape continued, "we're getting closer to the breakthrough for Harry!

Prometheus sat in Snape's flat, reading yet another letter from Dumbledore. It said, this time, how each of the objects they were looking for had to be items from each of the four founders of Hogwarts; they had yet to find anything from Rowena Ravenclaw.

_...and during my convalescence, I have had time to reflect on what _

_ Ravenclaw's object might be. I believe it to be her lost diadem._

_ I also believe another object to be a certain ring once possessed by _

_ Tom Riddle's father. I once had it in my possession as well, _

_ but have since misplaced it. If you can find those two items, it is my _

_ belief you will have destroyed all of the Horcruxes._

_ It is also my belief that we are on the verge of finding the diadem._

_ If my assumptions are correct, and they usually are, it is most_

_ likely located somewhere in Hogwarts castle._

_ It is about another object that Snape found in the castle which I _

_ desire to speak with you. It concerns your current vampiric_

_ state and the possibility of reversing it. Please do not dismiss me;_

_ in this case, I am quite s erious and quite anxious to discuss the_

_ possibility of your becoming mortal once again... _

Rome shook his head in disbelief at the letter. After all he had been through in just the past few months, the rest of his life–even including being chased by

Voldemort–paled in comparison to having been forced into being transformed into a vampire.

Rome caught sight of an old book that lay next to him on a nearby lamp table. It was his–or rather Snape's–old potions manual. The last time Rome had seen it was when he stashed it in the Room of Requirement over a year previously. It prompted him to question Snape about the book.

"I'm curious," began Rome, "but how and where did you find that old potions manual?"

Snape rolled his eyes and replied disdainfully, "Honestly, _Prometheus,_" Rome could tell he'd wanted to say "Potter" instead, "do you think you're the only student who tried to lose or hide this book from me? I have ways of getting my things back," Snape replied with finality. It reminded Rome of how Voldemort had been with his diary.

"Incidentally, I found it next to a hideous bust of a warlock which happened to have an old decrepit-looking crown on it."

Suddenly, Prometheus's mind went "click" as a missing piece clunked into place in his brain. That old crown...the diadem that Dumbledore had just told him about...could it actually be hidden in Hogwarts like the headmaster said? He didn't dare hope that the battered crown in the Room of Requirement held one of the Horcruxes...

"Snape," said Rome, "I can't explain why, but would you please bring me that crown? It is of utmost importance."

"Oh?" Snape said.

"As soon as possible."

"As you wish," the potions master replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Pandora and Prometheus met up again in the cave. It was with a certain finality that Rome spoke with her.

"You need to get me into Crimson Palace."

"What? Are you mad?"

"No. It's just that...well... How am I ever going to defeat Zeus if I can't even get to him?"

"You don't need to get to him," Dora said reasonably, "you have me there already."

"Dora," Rome began just as reasonably, "you're the one who told me I was the vampire with a soul. If I am going to defeat Zeus, I need to get closer to him."

"You're right," said Pandora reluctantly. "I'll provide a cover story to get you inside."

Severus stood by the fireplace in his flat with his usual sneer and it looked rather triumphant. He pulled out the diadem and placed it on the table.

"I have what you asked for," Severus said, his voice slightly taunting, as if there were something else he was withholding. The potions master actually enjoyed this game of cat and mouse. Leaving them in suspense. Rome grabbed the cursed crown off the table.

"Thank you for your assistance, Severus," Rome said coolly. He turned to leave but Snape spoke again.

"There is something else that you maybe interested in," Severus said, with an air of smugness. Rome turned back around with a very impatient look on his face.

"Which is?" Rome inquired of the man in front of him. He honestly had better things to do than to be toyed with by Severus.

"If you must know, your little girlfriend has the same habit of snooping where she shouldn't," Snape started. Rome narrowed his eyes. His voice hardened as he cut off the professor.

"She _isn't _my girlfriend," Rome retorted, Severus rolled his eyes and went on.

"Nevertheless, she found discovered something that caught my attention. In the past, I tried an experiment before with your _other _girlfriend," Severus's eyes briefly locked with Pandora's in knowing way. Pandora shifted her eyes to the wall. Rome looked between them in confusion.

"Meaning what, Severus?" Rome now demanded, Pandora stepped in.

"Haven't you ever wondered why or how I know Severus?" Pandora questioned him. Rome shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I might have briefly wondered once but I assumed it was because of the party Slughorn had last year," Rome answered. Severus snorted in utmost annoyance.

"No, you see, Rome…about twenty years ago, I came to realize I did not want this fate of immortality," Pandora began. Rome scoffed loudly.

"After wanting revenge against me you are telling me you didn't want this?" Rome said in disbelief. Pandora nodded her head but looked at him pointedly again as she continued.

"Yes. You can choose to believe it or not. Two students found me, one of them being Severus," Pandora said as her eyes met Severus's again. "They decided to make me part of their experiment of reversing vampirism."

"And because of a critical error on the part of  
Regulus and I, Pandora almost died," Severus concluded.

"From that point on I accepted my fate and hated Zeus for what he did to me," Pandora said but she looked deeply into Rome's face. "But what I think he is trying to say is that you don't have to do the same. You can change yours."

"I have already accepted this fate, Pandora," Rome said firmly. Pandora stared at him studying his features. Severus's voice broke the silence.

"Potter, please, you have the lack of being any kind of a good liar. Not to mention, you are just as stubborn as your father," Severus said sharply. Rome started for the door again. He had enough of false hope. Even Severus knew better than to do so. Pandora stopped the young man.

"Fine then, just tell me why you keep going back to the spot by the pond? That is, if you truly have accepted your fate?" Pandora said assertively. Rome looked away as her question repeated in his mind.

"What do you know!" Rome replied defensively. He marched outside; Pandora was right at his heels. Suddenly, something fluttered by his ear. He reached up to catch it. He looked in his hand to find the Snitch inside. He read the inscription. He remembered the promise he made himself at the lake.

"Obviously, we cannot force him to make the choice," Severus said, from the doorway. Rome looked at the ball again. What did he have to lose? He turned back around.

"Fine, I'll try this experiment, and only for one reason," Rome said.

"And that is?"

"I'm doing it for Shan," answered Rome, turning around and marching out the doorway.

"Then everything will be ready in three week's time," Severus called out. "You will be informed of the date later."


	23. House Unity

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:**

**HOUSE UNITY**

Albus looked away from the window as Severus entered the room with Adonna close behind. The headmaster took his place at his desk.

"I gather you told Prometheus about the possibility of him becoming mortal again?" Dumbledore asked Severus. Severus nodded.

"He took the news as expected, Professor," Severus replied, "but he has agreed to it for one reason." The wizened professor smiled. He knew that deep inside of Prometheus, Harry was still there somewhere; the same Harry that still dared to love Shantiel in spite of everything.

"His reason is Shantiel. I'm certain of it," Adonna said with as surety. Severus raised an eyebrow. He had forgotten just how well the healer knew the boy.

"That is exactly what he said," Severus confirmed. Dumbledore nodded and stood again. He made his way over to both professors.

"I, too, expected no less. But now, we need to make sure everything goes according to plan," Dumbledore said a bit grimly. "When is the eclipse?"

"In two weeks, Headmaster," Severus answered. "That is when the planets will be in perfect syzygy," he reported.

"But has the Moonstone been found yet?" Dumbledore asked, looking over his glasses at Severus. On cue, Severus pulled it out of his pocket. "Impressive. And where was it hidden?"

"Here with me!" Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait spoke indignantly and folded his arms. Dumbledore frowned slightly. "Why would you have kept this hidden from me, Phineas?"

"I could not tell you," answered the portrait, "for I was forbidden from doing so."

"Allow me, Headmaster Black," Severus intervened. He turned to the current headmaster. "You see, sir, it required a Slytherin to ask the proper question." Phineas's portrait smirked in satisfaction.

The light of understanding dawned in Dumbledore's eyes. "Ah, of course. Thank you, Headmaster Black, for assisting Severus with the fine-tuning of the potion," Dumbledore said to the portrait. The former headmaster puffed out his chest proudly. "Now the question is–do we have enough time to make the potion?"

"I believe so," Severus re-confirmed, "I already started most of it a week ago and it will take a week to be ready but I feel that Adonna should shadow me." This caused both of the other professors to raise their eyebrows in wonder.

"And why so, Severus?" Adonna asked suspiciously. Dumbledore watched the man's face and his emotions.

"I feel that it may mean something more to you and Prometheus if you carried out the rest of what is needed for this experiment," Severus replied simply. Adonna still looked at him warily.

"That is noble of you, Severus," Dumbledore said with his eyes twinkling. "Do I detect a possible change of heart in you?"

"Hardly," Severus scoffed. "I am merely requesting assistance should something happen to me. A good potioneer always has a back-up plan."

"That is very true, Snape," Adonna agreed in astonishment.

"Very well. In two weeks' time, we shall meet at the appointed place."

* * *

The next D.A. meeting was held two days later. The main six members decided that they should switch being the teacher. Neville stood in front of everyone as the room filled with members.

"Okay, now that we are all here, I thought that it would be necessary to learn and go over defensive charms for this meeting," Neville started. "With any defensive spell you have to aim properly," he continued. As he went to demonstrate, the door opened again.

Draco Malfoy walked in with four other Slytherins. Malfoy tried to remain domineering as the room went silent.

"I'll deal with this," Ron said, before making his way up to the group of Slytherins. He came nose to nose with Malfoy and started drilling him, "What are you doing here, Malfoy? Did Snape send you here to see what we were doing?" Ron interrogated him, his hand by his pocket.

"Actually," Draco started in his usual pompous manner, "we came here to join this…little group of yours, _Weasley_," Draco announced as he cast a look of slight disgust around the room. Ron narrowed his eyes at the Slytherin; he knew that this had to be some kind of ploy.

"Nice try, Malfoy, but I find it rather difficult to believe that you and your cronies are here 'just' to join the D.A.," Ron scoffed. Hermione, Luna, Ginny, and Shantiel all approached the tense scene. "Why would you want to join the D.A. anyway?" Ron snarled. Hermione walked in directly behind Ron. But Draco folded his arms and refused to back away.

"As dim-witted as you are, Weasley, is it impossible for you to believe that we would want to protect the school as well?" Draco asked coolly.

"None of them have their wands drawn, Ron," Shantiel pointed out.

"Yeah, maybe there is more to us than what most think," Astoria Greengrass added defensively.

"I never thought you would have caught on to that, Shantiel Tonks," Draco said with appreciation.

"Maybe they truly want to join us, Ron," Luna said. "After all, isn't Dumbledore's Army about fighting as one and not against each another?" she questioned Ron.

"Besides," Neville pushed on, "the Room never would have let them enter if their intentions weren't good." Ron spluttered trying to think of a comeback. "I also think Harry would let them join."

Ron gave a sigh of defeat as he replied, "Okay, you can join the D.A., but one incident and you will be sorry," the redhead warned Draco before he walked away.

"And you _must_ sign the secrecy paper," Hermione insisted, bringing out a quill and handing it to Draco. She directed him to the parchment on the wall.

"Welcome to the D.A.," Luna said with enthusiasm after Draco finished signing his name, causing the young man to raise his eyebrow as he proceeded to take his place within the group. "Continue, Neville," Luna said to the young man who nodded. Before beginning again, Neville briefly shook hands with each of the new Slytherin members, telling them, "Welcome," and giving them a short nod.

"As I was saying," Neville said, trying to distract the other members who were staring at the Slytherins, "You have to know your target and vampires can be tricky." Neville stood ten feet away from a dummy. He aimed his wand at it and shouted, "BOMBARDUM!" The dummy exploded into shreds. Nearly everyone clapped in response. "If everyone would get into pairs and practice disarming each other." Everyone paired up. Soon shouts of spells were heard.

Ron insisted on being paired-up with Malfoy. However, Ron soon discovered that Draco was quite adept at disarming him. Ron had to say the word "Expelliarmus!" but Draco was able to simply flick his wand at the redhead and make Ron's wand fly out of his hand. It caught Ron totally off-guard.

"Hey!" he yelled in frustration, after the third time Malfoy had disarmed him. Likewise, all five Slytherins were doing the same thing...making wands fly out of hands without saying a word.

"Wait a minute," Neville said with excitement. "How are you doing that, Malfoy?" He was quite intrigued. "If we're able to disarm enemies without saying anything, then we'll catch them totally off-guard!"

"That, Longbottom, is entirely the point," Draco said with a smirk. Malfoy snapped his fingers and all the other Slytherins fell in line behind him. "Show them," he said simply. The remaining Slytherins paired up and demonstrated to the entire group how they could disarm each other wordlessly.

"It requires a bit more deliberation, intent, and cunning," continued Malfoy. "You have to know exactly where you're aiming, otherwise it won't work. Focus."

The remainder of the class time was spent trying to disarm one another without saying aloud the Disarming Spell.

* * *

Ron sat on the couch next to Hermione and Ginny back in the Gryffindor common room. He made it very apparent that he still disapproved of Draco being a part of the meeting.

"I find it a bit surprising myself but Luna and Astoria did have a point," Hermione said firmly. Ron was horrified.

"Are you actually defending them?" Ron almost shouted at his girlfriend in pure disbelief. "After the hell they put us through! You sit here and defend them?" Hermione's lips thinned as she folded her arms across her chest.

"I'm just saying that maybe we have mistaken them. I mean look at Slughorn. He was the Head of Slytherin house and is he bad, Ronald?" Hermione said tersely. Ron again stared at her with his mouth opened.

"No, but this is Draco Malfoy we are talking about here!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione held her position.

"Maybe we have it all wrong! Yes, maybe he was raised as a spoiled brat but people do change, Ron. Believe it or not," Hermione clipped at him.

"Hermione is right," Shantiel agreed, "I mean he didn't make one rude or inappropriate comment during the entire meeting. He might have been a bit condescending, but he and the other Slytherins taught us one of their best tricks." Then Shantiel looked sideways at Ron. "Besides, you thought the same thing about _me_ last year, remember?" Ginny and Neville both nodded in agreement.

"So, you see what one assumes isn't always the truth. If that were the case I should be in Ravenclaw right now," Hermione concluded. Ron sighed in frustration but otherwise remained silent.

"Dumbledore told me last year that he felt like students are Sorted too early because they haven't grown into their true selves yet," Shantiel added.

"I believe that the original reason for creating this school is to create unity within the school and the Wizarding World," Ginny finished. "Now this is the time that we start using House unity instead of House segregation."

* * *

At Aragog's old cave, Prometheus and Pandora discussed how best for Prometheus to get at Zeus. It was becoming more and more imperative for Rome to destroy the Vampire King once and for all, as Pandora had just told him that Zeus was soon planning on launching a full-scale war starting with Hogwarts. It was a war that would start on the eve if the planets being in syzygy. Rome was torn; Snape had just told him that the only chance Prometheus had of becoming mortal again was by using the full power of the syzygy...but if vanquishing Zeus meant that he had to miss this opportunity, so be it. Protecting Hogwarts and her students was far more important than trying to mess around with an experiment that most likely wouldn't even work.

"Zeus isn't the only one who's been acting odd, though," Pandora said.

"Oh?" Rome queried.

"Apollo has been positively mad. He sometimes goes through, shall we say, episodes of when he raves around, claiming all sorts of things. Nobody knows whether or not his manic fits are because of being immortal or if he had them before that. He's rather a lunatic."

"And yet you chose him as a partner in crime?" said Rome pointedly.

"Yes, well, you see, that's part of the reason why I chose him. Nobody would be likely to believe him if he chose to implicate me."

"Of course," Rome nodded with a smirk.

"One of the things that Apollo has been saying does make me concerned, however." Dora shook her head and held something out to him. "I stole this from Apollo, who in turned stole it from Zeus. Zeus has been livid ever since it went missing. Apollo said that Zeus is different than he used to be because of that ring–that even if you pierce his heart with a wooden stake, he can come back–and it's something to do with that ring."

Prometheus looked at the ring in horror. It was black stone with an ornate "S"on it. Not only had he just found the last Horcrux...he had likely just found Lord Voldemort.


	24. Adonna's Secret

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:**

**ADONNA'S SECRET**

It was with great anticipation that Dumbledore opened an urgent letter he had received from Prometheus. The headmaster went to his study and opened unfolded the parchment as fast as he possibly could. However, its contents were not what he'd hoped. Not only were Rome's words disheartening, but they came with a warning as well:

Albus,

It is with a most troubled heart that I finally find myself

writing to you. I have discovered that the Vampire King

intends to start a war beginning with Hogwarts. It is to

happen the night the planets fall into syzygy. But this

is only the beginning.

We have wondered, for nearly a year now, just where Lord

Voldemort has been hiding. One of the vampires stole a

ring which came into the Vampire King's possession in

recent months. It is Slytherin's ring–yes, the final Horcrux.

It is my belief that Voldemort has possessed Zeus's body.

Who better than a soleless creature that is already evil?

I know you wish for me to become mortal again, but

Vanquishing Voldemort is something that I must do. It

wasn't done right the first time and I intend to see the

job through to the bitter end.

Rome

The headmaster slid his hands over his eyes. He had nobody to blame but himself for instilling into Rome his unshakable sense of duty. Even as an immortal, it appeared that Harry had such a strong personality that nothing and no one could stand in his way. If only there remained an avenue for Dumbledore to get him to change his mind, somehow...

* * *

It was not at all common for Severus Snape to wax philosophical, sentimental, or anything of the sort. He just kept getting the feeling that he was about to die in the impending battle that would come to Hogwarts. The emotion began as a tiny niggling in the back of his head and had blazed itself to life into the towering inferno it was now. That was the biggest reason why he had essentially begun to treat Madam Adonna as his potions equal. If something happened to him, if he became incapacitated or worse, she would be the only one who knew how to administer the potions to Prometheus. It was a delicate and largely untried procedure, and they'd only get one chance to do it right.

"No," Severus snapped, "what are you thinking? You need to use the delicate dropper for the monkshood, you don't just casually pour it into the cauldron!"

For a moment, Madam Adonna glared at Snape. He knew she wanted to ask him what was up with him, as he was even more surly than usual. But instead she mumbled, "Sorry," and continued on as she had been instructed.

"Why do you care about this so much, Severus?"

The man went to answer her in a caustic way but appeared to reconsider. He said, "I fear something will happen to me in the coming days. And I can't explain why."

"Ah. Death-shadowed," Adonna said knowingly.

Severus considered her for a moment. "That is a very apt term."

"One deals with it a lot whilst working at St. Mungo's."

"I can imagine so," Severus replied.

Suddenly, Snape felt his Dark Mark burn and he gasped. But that wasn't all. Madam Adonna gasped as well and grabbed her left forearm.

Realizing her gaffe, Madam Adonna looked at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Who are you?" Severus demanded, remembering how Barty Crouch Jr had deceived him for an entire year with Polyjuice Potion. He pulled back the sleeve of Adonna's robe, exposing her Dark Mark. She shoved him away from her, saying, "Unhand me!" She was quite strong and Snape lost his grip on her. Both of them had their wands drawn on one another.

Though her secret was exposed, Adonna was perfectly calm as she took a deep breath and said, "I am who I say I am. You're not the only one who has deceived the Dark Lord with loyalties, Severus. I was simply able to get away unlike you, because I am a Metamorphmagus, and can disguise myself at will. If you disbelieve me, you may ask Dumbledore. If he had any doubts about me, he never would've let me join the Order."

Snape's eyes burned into Adonna's; neither professor would give an inch. At last, Snape said, "I will consult with Albus immediately." He sent a Patronus out to Summon the man and still held his wand on Adonna.

"Merlin's Beard," exclaimed Dumbledore upon arrival within two minutes, "what is this I have stumbled into? Two of my best staff dueling each other?"

"She has a Dark Mark," explained Severus. Although even to his own ears, it sounded a bit as if he were a tattling first-year.

Dumbledore sighed heavily, "So you have discovered Adonna's secret. Yes, she joined the Death Eaters. No, it wasn't in my behalf. Yes, she escaped. No, she isn't working for Lord Voldemort anymore. Yes, she is trustworthy. No, I will not send her away. Yes, you still must work together. Do I make myself clear?"

Again, Severus and Adonna glared at each other, but this time, it was Snape who put his wand away and folded his arms.

"Very well," he replied, his jaw clenched. He didn't know what irritated him more–Dumbledore keeping the secret from him, or Adonna keeping her secret from him. Severus prided himself being able to peg people. Not once had he ever suspected her of working for Lord Voldemort. The though rankled him. Still, if Dumbledore trusted her, who was Snape to say? _I'm just another patsy to do the headmaster's doing,_ he thought miserably.

* * *

Prometheus had sat inside of the tent for days after destroying the ring. He had explained to Pandora, how in his first year of school, Voldemort had possessed Professor Quirrell. That fact alone also explained how Voldemort was able to possess Zeus. Evil attracted more evil. Two days later, Snape had sent him a letter asking if they could meet up and discuss how the experiment was going to go. Prometheus felt that he had to tell the potions master that he had something else that he had to finish. Something that was more important to him.

After mulling it over, Rome stood and left to the meeting spot Snape had arranged for them. The young vampire dreaded returning to the same place that he first met Albus on Christmas Eve...the church in Godric's Hollow. Rome sat in the same pew as he did then, once more avoiding making any eye contact with the hymn books in front of him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Rome could see another dark cloaked figure sitting beside him. Some moments went by before either man spoke. Prometheus knew he had to tell him now.

"Severus," Rome started. "I know you have found this supposed cure for Vampirism but something that has come up that falls on that same evening. Therefore I cannot be a part of your experiment," Rome finished. He expected the professor to roll his eyes and tell him that it was fine but Dumbledore would probably ask why Rome had decided the way he had.

Snape was silent for a moment before inquiring, "What is so important that you must deny the chance of mortality again?" Rome knew that Dumbledore probably hadn't told Severus everything. So Rome said the truth as limited as it was.

"There is just something I need to do and finish," Rome replied firmly, in hopes that Severus would get the finality of it. Severus still remained quiet. Rome sensed that the wheels in his head were turning; that he was trying to figure out Rome's reasoning.

"You know that this is your only opportunity to be able to do this," Severus reminded him. Rome nodded and finally faced him.

"I know. But I should take advantage of my only opportunity to do what I must," Rome said with conviction. "So you can let Albus know that I am not going to be a part of your experiment anymore," he concluded. The other man stared at him. For the first time Severus decided he would let down his guard a bit with the boy.

"We all have things that we believe are most important for us to do. Therefore we put aside the things we think can wait or be forgotten about," Severus said, now looking straight ahead. "If we don't do stop and do something for selfish once in awhile, we end up losing a larger part of ourselves–a part which winds up more important than we ever thought it could be." Rome gawked at the man in utter confusion but he was impressed. It was odd to see this side of the man; it made him more human. Rome sighed as he tried to figure out how he could both vanquish Voldemort-Zeus and keep his appointment with Severus. Maybe he could go to the palace earlier than planned.

"I'll think about it but I can't promise you much," the vampire said. Severus was again calculating his next words.

"What makes you think I don't already know that you are destined to destroy the Vampire King?" Rome looked at Severus in slight shock. "Oh yes, I've figured that out. Albus didn't need to tell me a thing, either." Prometheus just shook his head in response. He didn't know what to say.

"Well, I honestly don't expect much," Snape snapped, once again returning to his usual self. "I will let Albus and everyone know of your decision then." With that he left Prometheus to fall back into his muddled thoughts.

* * *

Prometheus followed Pandora to the outskirts of the palace grounds. Rome couldn't help but think that it looked somewhat like a twisted version of Hogwarts. He was more grateful now then ever for having discovered his Metamorphmagus gift. It was so much easier to disguise himself than taking Polyjuice Potion. He moved the dark brown hair out of his eyes as they continued to walk on.

They soon spotted both Epimetheus and Apollo. True to character, Apollo kept scanning the surroundings in a paranoid fashion, as if he expected someone else to invade their group.

"There you are!" Apollo exclaimed impatiently. Pandora folded her arms across her chest. Apollo's eyes met Rome's, "Who is this? I thought we discussed only the three of us were going to do this! Who knows if he isn't a spy for Zeus?" Rome stepped forward. He had prepared for this.

"If I were a spy why are you still here? Don't you think I would have killed Pandora by now?" Rome said hotly with his fangs bared. Apollo growled in response. "I just thought you said that if we have too many Zeus may suspect something?" Apollo lashed out at Pandora. She bared her fangs as she pinned him to a nearby tree.

"I did say that but he is from a different coven so Zeus won't know the difference," Pandora hissed dangerously. "He has...abilities than allow him to sneak passed the guards easier then we can." She leaned closer to his ear, "Besides, if anybody comes looking, we won't be implicated in the plot–only_ he_ will," Pandora whispered. Understanding dawned on Apollo's face. Pandora released him. "Now, let's go over the plan one more time. He and I will sneak inside once in you both wait out here. I know Zeus so I'll get him where we need him to be."

"Then, we kill him," Apollo finished with a demented smile on his face. Rome again stepped in.

"Actually, I'll be the one who kills him," Rome smirked. He could see Apollo's temper rising. He found it slightly comical. It was as if Prometheus was the new favorite child and Apollo was now the stepchild.

"Fine," Apollo said petulantly, "What about the virgin blood?" Apollo spat. Pandora planned her next words carefully.

"Don't worry about that. I've already taken care of him," Pandora said firmly. "Now are you with us or not? We can do just fine without you," she added directly. Apollo sighed after a few moments.

"Look like I don't have any choice," Apollo huffed.

"In one hour, we move in," Pandora said looking at each of them.


	25. Ultimate Betrayal

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:**

**ULTIMATE BETRAYAL**

Time crept by incredibly slowly for Prometheus as he, Pandora, and Apollo sat just feet away from the palace. Apollo continued to scan the area for intruders. Pandora kept glancing at him in silent communication. It was driving him crazy but one thing being a vampire had taught him was patience. The silence was broken by the growing sound of distance footsteps. Apollo was the first one to get into attack position. The other two followed suit. Prometheus held his breath as the person came closer. A voice of someone very large spoke.

"Apollo, are you there?" the deep booming voice asked. Apollo jumped up and clawed at the face of a gargantuan vampire. Pandora pulled Apollo off the other vampire and scolded Apollo before turning to the large vampire.

"Epimetheus! What are you doing?" she exclaimed and looking around for others.

"Apollo told me to come tell him when the first wave of vampires hit the school," Epimetheus said, like a child trying to be obedient. Pandora and Prometheus shared a brief fearful look but covered it very well. Rome's heart was thundering in his throat.

"What does he mean by 'the first wave', Apollo?" Pandora asked him directly. He quickly showed them how unstable he was.

"Zeus thought that it would be the best way to flush out the virgin-blood," Apollo said as his eyes flashed dangerously. "He felt that the war needed to be started earlier at Hogwarts. It was the one place he knew the virgin-blood could be lured," he finished gleefully. Rome continued to fight the urge to immediately rush to the school.

"And Apollo said we would be 'killing two birds with one stone,'" Epimetheus said. "We kill Zeus and then finish what we started." Pandora hissed at him in full rage.

"You idiot! Don't you realize what you have done? You have compromised our mission by this! Zeus knows what we are doing," She shouted, "Why else would he have sent them out so soon? You have left us out in the open!" Rome remained silent with fury...until he saw Zeus approaching behind Apollo and Epimetheus with an entourage.

"He's here!" he yelled.

* * *

Shantiel had been slowly awakened by distant screams around her. Her eyes opened to her dorm-mates dashing for the door with vampires behind them. Quickly she jumped out of bed and grabbed her wand. Out of nowhere she felt a hand grabbing her wrist.

"Come on, Shan! Let's go!" Ginny said as the two ran downstairs to the battlefield in the common room. They saw the heads of the D.A. members fighting. The girls ran over to help Neville, Ron, and Hermione.

"Quick, you know where to go!" Hermione bellowed as she caused a vampire to fly out of a window. In clusters, the Gryffindor members followed the first six out into the corridor. Everyone had been battling the vampires.

Dodging spells and aiming spells, they made their ways down the corridor. They all focused on the entrance. The door appeared in front of them they all rushed inside of the room where pure silence met them.

Three minutes ticked by in which nobody said a word. Hermione finally spoke up, "You guys, we can't stay in here forever–we have to go get help!"

"I know!" Ron shouted.

"There's no need to get shirty with me, Ronald!"

"Sorry, I'm...I just...we're all in our pyjamas. And it's freaky, they came to Gryffindor Tower first!"

Neville looked at everybody very intensely and said, "The only way you'll get to the Headmaster's Office is if you split up and go different directions. Hopefully, there won't be enough vampires to corner all of you..."

Everybody gulped and again shared a look. The odds weren't in their favor, but something had to be done–that much was certain.

"Okay, okay...Neville, you stay here and wait for anybody else who shows up. I'm sure the vampires won't have stayed in Gryffindor Tower for very long," said Hermione. "Shan, Ginny, and Ron, we'll be the ones who run for it. Good luck to us all," she shook each of their hands.

* * *

Prometheus stood still as Zeus walked up to him, a ghost of Voldemort's cruel smile spread across his features.

"I knew the time would come that we would meet eventually. Pity that my main guard had to betray me in the process," he said, as his eyes met Pandora's, "especially after all I have given her." Pandora growled as she stood next to Rome. The young vampire prepared for the first strike.

Suddenly, Apollo and Epimetheus grabbed Rome before he was able to make a move. Pandora went to attack but other guards tackled her.

"We knew it was the virgin-blood, sire," Apollo said, as he grabbed Rome by the back of his neck. "You can smell him a mile away," he said, as he yanked Prometheus's head down and sniffed deeply. "Disgusting. Virgin-blood."

Zeus continued to survey the young man almost as if to be certain it was him. He stepped towards Rome. He slowly lifted Rome's fringe. Zeus laughed victoriously as he saw the lightning-shaped scar on Rome's forehead.

"So, what I have heard is correct," Zeus said in heightened amusement. Knowing the jig was up, Rome slowly allowed his features to transform into those of himself.

"It's sad that you had to once again possess someone weaker than you, only to lose again," Rome said defiantly. He watched the brief flicker of fear that flashed across the face of his old enemy. Zeus walked up to the young vampire. Prometheus could sense the analytical side of Tom Riddle kick in as he surveyed Rome.

"What are you afraid of, Tom?" Rome said, baiting him as he smirked dangerously. "I don't know if you have noticed but being a vampire as given me a better clarity concerning what must be done."

Zeus-Voldemort laughed at the young man mockingly. He circled the group, his eyes on Rome's.

"You think because you have destroyed my Horcruxes that you can kill me like the legend says?" He hissed in amusement. "Have you forgotten? Like yourself, I am now immortal." That was true. How was Rome supposed to kill him now? It was then that he wished that he had learned more before going in for the attack. But he was surprised to hear Pandora laughing this time.

"And you are forgetting that there are ways to kill a vampire?" Pandora said slyly. She suddenly slinked through the arms of the guards, flipped backwards, and kicked each of them in the chest. While they were on the ground, Pandora staked them both simultaneously through the center of their chests. It was a good thing the guards had failed to disarm Pandora and Rome.

Apollo and Epimetheus both released Rome and in turn charged at Pandora. She was ready as she leaped over both of them. She caught Epimetheus in the back of the head with her heel. Apollo growled, enraged, as he grabbed her by her other foot. He went to twist it but she kicked him on the side of the head with her other foot. Vampires continued to swarm on the group. Prometheus created a small gout of Fiend Fyre and burnt a group of immortals that had only started to charge.

"As true as that maybe, my dear, I know that I can not be defeated by someone as pathetic as you two," Zeus stated in a matter of fact tone. "Kill her, but the boy is mine," he ordered his minions. "It is a shame that what you did was all for nothing." Pandora continued to fend off vampires. "Hogwarts doesn't stand a chance."

Zeus disappeared and re-appeared behind Prometheus. Prometheus was so busy trying to find where he had gone that he barely saw Zeus's blow to his head coming. _WHAM!_ Trying to fight unconsciousness, Rome felt Zeus pulling him up by the hair. Rome looked into the horridly gleeful eyes of his opponent. Zeus plunged his dagger into the young vampire's side and dragged it down his ribs. Rome gasped in shock.

"You have always been so weak," Zeus scoffed. The pain was almost unbearable but Rome didn't let it show on his face. Zeus pulled the dagger out and licked it. "This was almost too easy. Soon my guard will bring back all of those you love. Then you can watch them die one by one."

"It's not over yet, is it?" Rome said, he disappeared out of the vampire sovereign's iron grip. He re-appeared next to him and then disappeared. He hissed somewhere close by, "You always were too quick to think you had won. Like always, that led to your downfall." Prometheus knew that Zeus was beginning to lose his patience but Rome knew he finally had an advantage on him. Zeus let out a frustrated roar like a beast stuck in a trap.

"I am done being toyed with, Potter!" Zeus bellowed in Rome's direction. Prometheus laughed from the treetops. Reading his stake, Rome dropped onto the ground feet away from Zeus-Voldemort. The young vampire was unseen by the blur of activity going on between them. Prometheus struck with precise aim-the stake hit its intended target. Zeus looked down, alarmed, to see the pointed end penetrating through his chest. It was as if he couldn't believe Rome had actually done it. "No..." he whispered. He yanked the stake out of his chest. Blood poured from the wound. Zeus-Voldemort collapsed to the ground, to move no more. The bevy of activity surrounding Rome had caused their fight to go unnoticed. With even more clarity than before, Prometheus knew what he had to do. He ripped off Zeus's red velvet cloak, covered himself face with it, and changed his features into that of the Vampire King.

Like angry bees the guard charged Prometheus and Pandora. Rome felt fangs enter through his skin as he fought them. He could barely hear a distant _pop _from off to his right.

"STOP!" he ordered them in Zeus's voice.

He watched as vampires continued to drop to the ground one by one. He looked up to see Viktor attacking them.

"You may think you have won the battle," Apollo called out to them, "But the war has yet to end." He and Epimetheus started off in the direction of Hogwarts. Rome's zeal had not disappeared. He started to run after them. Pandora grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

"We have to follow them this is something that needs to be finished," Rome said quietly, with determination. Pandora nodded knowing that he was right.

"You must speak with the minions first, though..." she whispered in his ear. "I will tell Viktor to go warn Dumbledore–tell him to arm the school and that the _actual_ vampire sovereign is dead."

"Guards!" called Rome-Zeus, "Cease attacking!" They stopped and turned to look at him. "Apollo and Epimetheus have plotted against me. That is why they have fled. They are on their way to Hogwarts School. We must find them and make them pay for their crimes of treachery!"

They threw their fists in the air and roared their approval for their sovereign.

* * *

The Room of Requirement became a safe haven; there were students who chose to remain in the school despite the first wave of vampire attacks that had been sent. They had been preparing for whatever else came their way. To everyone's surprise, more of the Slytherins had joined the D.A. in a sincere manner. And they soon proved themselves as they fought against the vampires.

It was quiet except for the few whispers amongst clusters of students. In the distance thundering crashes sounded around the castle. Everyone turned to the window in amazement. What looked like a shield slowly lowered passed the window.

"They're here, aren't they?" Luna asked, breaking the silence that fell over them. Ron and Neville turned around facing everyone. Ron gave a slight nod. Ominous looks spread across the faces of the group. Everyone returned the nod in response of understanding.

"Then let's arm ourselves because this is it," Neville announced as he grabbed his wand. The other five followed suit and the rest of the D.A. mirrored them.

Pure silence filled the halls as they marched to the main entrance where the Order stood guard inside and outside the oak doors. Time slowed as they came closer to the front line. Everything intensified tenfold. Once outside, the Forbidden Forest swarmed with vampires by the hundreds. No one moved for ages, wondering who would make the first move.

Ginny looked at her friends; all whom were sharing the same expression. Like a rushing wave, the vampires charged the barrier that kept them out. They pushed through like spirits through a wall. The Order and D.A. stayed firm and send out fire as an attack. Everyone scattered as mortal and immortal combated one with another. Some members of the D.A. stayed in the front line while others took off back into the school. Vampires were close to their tails.

"IMPEDMENTA!" Neville shouted at a vampire about to attack a first-year boy. He caught up to the remaining five, who were facing off with more vampires.

The corridor was filled with flying spells and scattered bodies. Six D.A. members kept running down the hall, while blindly casting spells behind them as they ran. They entered the fourth floor corridor where all sound died except for their panting. They had lost so many of their group behind them.

An eerily gleeful but dangerous laughter came from the end of the hall. A blonde vampire approached them as blood trickled down his chin. Both Ron and Neville stood in front of the girls with their wands aimed.

"Do you really think those sticks have any power against me?" Apollo laughed evilly. "If you hold still, it won't hurt much." His eyes flashed with an animal-like hunger.

"Stupefy!" Ron bellowed but Apollo whirled out of sight, causing the spell to rebound off the wall. They heard his laugh again as he stood face to face with Ron.

"You mortals never learn, do you?" Apollo sneered in Ron's face. Ron stood his ground and hid his fear. Suddenly Apollo went flying into the wall as a random spell hit him in the chest. Everyone turned to see Severus racing towards them his wand still pointed at the vampire.

"Weasley, Longbottom, take the others and leave!" Snape ordered the two young men. They stood in paralytic shock over what just happened. "I said leave! Don't stand there looking so daft! GO!" Severus hollered, the volume in his voice finally getting them to move.

They ran down the hall and Shantiel looked back for a split second at the Slytherin professor. It looked as if Snape were being attacked by Epimetheus, but Ron pulled Shantiel's hand and led the group around the corner.

"Wait!" she cried, trying to go back, but Ron was too strong for her.

"We need to go!" Ron said. She knew he was right. Otherwise, Snape would have sacrificed himself for nothing if they didn't get away.

* * *

Epimetheus had grabbed hold of Severus, clamping his huge hands over the Slytherin man's arms. Severus tried his best to level spells anywhere near the gargantuan vampire, but nothing he threw at the immortal took any effect. Then Epimetheus twisted Snape's arm, _SNAP!_ which caused him to drop his wand to the floor. Severus had no doubt his right arm was now broken.

Suddenly, Severus felt Epimetheus draining out blood through his jugular vein. The pain in his arm thankfully eclipsed any pain he felt with the bites he was receiving from Epimetheus and Apollo. For what felt like ages, Severus fought the pain. He refused to cry out...and eventually found himself sink into blessed oblivion.

* * *

"Seeeeeeeveeeerruuuuusss..."

Snape felt himself to be waking from a horrible nightmare.

"Seeeeveeerruuuuuss..."

Someone was calling his name, attempting to wake him up. The voice was light, airy, almost musical...and also quite familiar.

"Wake up, Sev..."

His eyes snapped open. There was only one person in the world he'd allowed to call him "Sev".

"Lily," he said in utmost clarity. He sat up in one smooth motion, facing the woman he had loved nearly his whole life. "What are you doing here?"

"I belong here. And now, so do you," she answered. She gazed at him serenely.

"Ah. And where is 'here', exactly?"

"The Afterlife."

"So...I'm...dead, then."

"Yes.."

"Ah," he said.

"Do you have any questions you wish to ask me?"

"Yes." He couldn't seem to remember how he'd got there. "How did I die?"

"You died saving an entire group of Harry's friends from vampires. One of them held you down, broke your wand arm, and a pair of the vampires drained you dry."

A flood of memories returned to him; he grabbed his right arm upon remembering the pain of it breaking. He inspected it but it was fine. Severus looked at Lily closer this time. She looked exactly the same way he remembered her when she'd died at the age of twenty-two. How was that possible? But more to the point...

"Why are you here, Lily?"

She smiled at him and replied, "Being greeted by loved ones in the afterlife is a privilege gained only by those who have earned it."

"Ah," he replied, yet again. He wondered why he felt so very awkward. Hadn't speaking with Lily again been what he'd been dreaming about for nearly twenty years? He wanted to ask her how he, of all people, had earned the right to be greeted by her, yet he couldn't bring himself to say the words. It didn't appear to matter, however. Lily anticipated his question.

"Sev, if I know you, and I do–you're wondering why you're here with me."

"Yes..."

"And you're wondering where James is."

"Uh, yes." Damn. She'd even guessed that one.

"He's here, and we're still together." Lily smiled again.

"Ah. Of course." He was amazed that she had known about things he himself had not yet voiced aloud. Then again, she had always been that way. Severus was suddenly struck by an overwhelming need to apologize to her. Apologize for being the one responsible for her death...

"Lily," he began, "I–I'm so sorry." In spite of himself, tears filled his eyes. "I tried to dissuade the Dark Lord from pursuing you and James and Harry, but I couldn't. He remained convinced that he had to..." _kill you,_ Severus added silently. Even after all this time, he couldn't bring himself to say the words in front of her.

"Sev..." Lily shook her head, and took his hands in hers. "You could not control the actions of your master any more than I could have. You did have control over your own actions, however. You lived for Harry, lived to protect him." Severus looked away. He couldn't bear to hold her gaze as she spoke candidly to him. Yet she continued.

"You sacrificed yourself to protect others. Every single action you've taken since you discovered Riddle was going to kill me has been for somebody else." She tipped his chin up to meet her eyes again.

"You've always claimed the reasons you did so were entirely selfish, but I know that's not true. I also know you grew to care for Harry nearly as much as you cared for me. At virtually every turn, you risked your life for the sake of other people."

Severus went to protest, but Lily stopped him.

"You might not have been the best person, but you do have a good heart. Nothing you say can convince me otherwise. Actions speak louder than words, Severus. And I want you to know how very proud of you I am. I forgive you. And I will never forget what you've done for me and my son." She stood on tip-toe and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek. "Always," she whispered in his ear.

At that, Severus began to weep openly. And Lily let him do so...she stood there and held him as he released an entire lifetime of regrets. Her words were exactly what he'd needed to hear these many years. And at long last...he could truly feel whole and at peace again.


	26. Capture

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:**

**CAPTURE**

Everyone continued down the corridors. Shantiel tried her best to keep her grip on Ron's hand as she ran but a crowd of frantic students came stampeding around the corner. In the process, Shantiel was knocked back onto the floor. She called out to the others but her voice was muffled by all of the shouts and screams around her. As soon as the crowd passed, the blonde girl raced down the corridor she had seen everybody else run.

She came to a juncture where corridors split off in different directions. Not sure of where to go next, she entered the weapon display corridor where medieval weapons were placed with knights and other statutes. She went to turn another corner but let out a gasp as the blonde vampire from earlier walked out of the darkness.

"Well, what do we have here? A beautiful lost creature?"Apollo said as he reached out and tried to grab for her hair. She pulled away and started to run back the other direction. Another and much bigger vampire blocked her way. Both started laughing demonically. It echoed down the corridor.

Shantiel's eyes searched for any way of escaping but before she knew it, they had her pinned against the wall. Apollo stepped up to her with a cruel and demented smile on his face. He drew a finger down her cheek as he leaned into her ear.

"Hello, my pet," he hissed with a twisted hint of excitement. Shantiel screamed and then knew no more.

* * *

Prometheus dashed for the school's entrance, fright and worry in every footstep. He had already sent Dumbledore the warning to make certain the fortress be given extra protection, as the ensuing weeks mounted with increased vampire activity in the Forbidden Forest.

Yet even after he had to kill so many of them, including the Vampire Sovereign himself, the dregs of this bloodthirsty contingent refused to be thwarted. They'd wanted this vengeful strike from the start-it was even what caused Rome's creation almost a year previous-revenge gone wrong.

As a precaution, Prometheus still wore Zeus's visage across his features. Both he and Pandora barely crossed the school's threshold when they stopped cold. The doorway had been so darkened that neither vampire could see who had stepped around the corner and now aimed wands at their chests. Wands could serve as wood stakes in a bind, so they froze.

"Who are you?" demanded a harsh voice from the shadows. Rome and Pandora forgot they had cloaks over their faces.

Immediately, a combination of relief and nostalgia washed over Rome as he heard that voice. It wasn't yet a year since he'd been forced to leave Hogwarts behind, when he was her defender, not the perceived enemy...

"Hermione," said Rome, "it's okay, it's only me. It's just H-Harry," he said in his own voice.

He wasn't sure if it was fear of his old friend's reaction or foreignness of the name across his tongue, which caused the catch in his throat.

"H-Harry…?" echoed the voice.

Without hesitation, without guile, without any regard for her safety, Hermione rushed toward and threw her arms about him. It was only then Rome realized how much he'd missed her and Ron… He'd not allowed himself to feel this much human emotion since before he was attacked and bitten that first time-nor till this very moment was Rome sure he was even capable of it anymore. For the very reasons he continued to fight vampires and their virus were paradoxically the very same things that threatened to consume him. However, with hope of re-mortality so close on the horizon, Rome let himself revel in human spontaneity by throwing caution to the wind and fiercely embracing his bushy-haired best mate in return.

"Shall I reserve a private room for the pair of you, or can we get this on a carry-out order?" Pandora inquired silkily from off to his left.

"Shut it, you," Ron Weasley warned, and thrust his wand so close to her face, he'd nearly jammed it up her nose.

Then Ron quickly lit his wand with the Lumos spell, which brought Pandora's striking vampiracy into full, horrific view.

"That's not Harry, Hermione. Back away from him _now_."

Clearly, Ron wasn't as instantly convinced of their benevolent intentions. Hermione disengaged herself, ready to give the Weasley a good tongue-lashing when she too, saw Pandora's face...along with Rome's strange features. The young woman followed Ron in suit by lighting her wand to illuminate the garishly unfamiliar features on Rome's face. Oh, how he'd dreaded a moment like since sequestering himself in Aragog's cave all those months ago…

"Bit of a shock, I reckon?" Prometheus broke the silence with his empathetic query. He could not bear the stricken looks on the faces of his old friends any longer.

Pandora smirked demurely and said, "So much for convincing them of our loyalty, eh, Rome?"

"Who are you?" Ron repeated Hermione's first question more forcefully. "And what did you just call him?" the redhead flicked eyes in Prometheus's direction, "who's 'Rome'?"

Losing patience, Pandora replied, "_He _is, we're in a bit of a hurry to stop other vampires here from sireing more victims, as is their intention since _Rome_, here," she stressed his name and jabbed a finger in his direction, "so recently destroyed their King."

Hermione's eyes grew wide with comprehension as she took in Pandora's words and looked closer and the immortals in front of her. "Harry?" Hermione questioned fearfully. It was only then that Rome exchanged Zeus's facial features for his own.

"So the vampire legend is all true!" the girl exclaimed. "Prometheus, who was proclaimed to rise again and overthrow their evil heartless leaders!"

Ron was dismayed as Hermione lowered her wand and ordered him to do the same.

"Who's this sodding Prometheus?" he demanded.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione replied, "In Greek mythology, he was known as the god with a heart because he loved the mortals and defied Zeus. And even after Zeus banished Prometheus to hang from a cliff face in the sun for all eternity, he escaped and overthrew Zeus. Just like the modern-day Prometheus is said to destroy the Vampire King."

Gesturing wildly, Ron shouted , "But what's this gotta do with _him_?"

Instead of sharing his agitation, Hermione shook her head in awe and said to Rome, "I should've known. You're the only person who could ever be called 'the vampire with a soul'." She turned briefly to Ron and explained, " 'Rome' is short for 'Prometheus'."

"_Blimey…_" was all Ron managed to utter as his jaw dropped, codfish-like, and he gaped at his old friend.

Pandora also had a new respect as she turned to Rome and said, "That Granger girl is truly brilliant."

Rome's eyes spoke volumes as he replied simply, "I told you so, Pandora."

Apparently, Hermione felt no more uncertainty with these two as the new four-member team quietly made their way through the school, discussing situation and strategy along the way.

Hogwarts had been invaded so quickly that nobody had time to do anything except scatter. Pandora and Rome still hadn't seen Viktor since just before he'd left for Hogwarts. Hermione said she and Ron had barely stumbled across each other near the entrance hall before Rome and Dora had shown up, and neither of the teens had come across any others, student or faculty. The corridors were occasionally punctuated with random screams of fright, though.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rent the air in the form of utmost terror. Rome froze in his tracks; he'd only heard that sound once before-last year, when he was saved by her as the cage she was in nearly fried her into cinders… "Shan," he whispered, ready to sprint upstairs.

Another scream pierced the air; both Hermione and Ron went white as a sheet.

"Not Ginny!" they exclaimed together.

Rome was torn with how he should convince the newly reunited team to split up when Pandora said, "The worst of those lot will have gone for Shan. You shouldn't risk bringing more mortals near them. I'll go with these two downstairs, you go for Shantiel. GO NOW! We'll catch up with you later!"

Rome nodded once and flew up the staircase, grateful for Pandora's presence. He couldn't help but feel a bit guilty leaving Hermione and Ron with a virtual stranger on his word, and one who was a vampyress at that.

"By the way, sorry for the hasty intro," he heard Dora say as they split up and went their separate ways, "but my name is Pandora, and I'll be your immortal bodyguard this evening…"

To further avoid notice, Prometheus removed his footwear as he made his way up the steps. Even among his own kind he was so fleet-footed, he could sneak up on nearly any vampire undetected. Though he was sure the blood pounding in his veins was loud enough to wake anyone now.

Rome recalled this particular floor as being filled with a number of elaborate corridor displays, replete with anachronistic implements. It was also a level of Hogwarts that Filch spent an inordinate amount of time dusting, especially whilst lamenting what he'd thought of as proper punishment for rule-breakers.

He hadn't run across any bodies so far...so it appeared Dumbledore had been able to get most of the students to safety, at least. And then he bumped into Severus Snape. Or at least, what was left of him...

"No..." Rome whispered despondently. "Severus?" It just was not fair that Snape had survived being a Death Eater, only to die at the hands of the vampires. The Potions Master was white as marble and covered in blood. His eyes were open. Prometheus respectfully closed Severus's eyes...eternal sleep. Even if Rome somehow managed to survive the night himself, how in the world could he become human again without Severus's help? Rome resolved to get back at the vampires in Snape's name. He crept further down the corridor.

The adornments in the hallway absorbed a lot of sound and Rome was also provided an inordinate amount of hiding places with which to slip upon his prey unseen. Voices down the corridor grew louder; even without hearing enunciated words, Rome could easily tell who was speaking.

Keeping primally silent, Rome donned his Invisibility Cloak, significance not lost on him that his father's heirloom was of even greater usefulness to him "dead" than alive. As a precaution, he crouched low on all fours and stole around the corner.

There they were, just as Rome had surmised. He contemplated briefly the almost laughable irony the trio he saw were nearest the medieval torture and executioner displays.

"You'll get some of her sweet nectar soon enough," Rome heard Apollo say, "her first-blood is meant for someone else," he continued, new edge in his tone, "because revenge should be sweet. Right, my pet?" Apollo now asked the drowsy blonde, lazily tracing one ear down to her jaw line.

A red haze of rage passed over Prometheus's vision at even seeing the girl be touched by that heartless fiend. So they intended her to scream to lure Rome here, did they? Little did they know, Prometheus was readying a nasty surprise of his own.

Otherwise occupied with their quarry, they didn't even see Rome behind them, setting to foil them with the oldest trick in the book. He'd taken his long, thin rope, made a large lasso, and placed it behind the two vampires on the floor.

Suddenly, Epimetheus growled gutturally, "He's not going to show. What if the others got him first?" It was clear he was anxious to begin the next round of bloodsucking.

"Patience, my thirsty comrade," admonished Apollo, sounding annoyed himself. As he took a step for emphasis, Epimetheus faced him. Apollo continued, "The others are impudents, they can't get at him. So he will come, and when he does, I'll-AAAAAAAAGGGHH!" Epimetheus and Apollo abruptly found themselves in a heap on the floor together.

_You'll fall flat on your arse and lose, just like always_, Prometheus mentally finished his rival's interrupted declaration as he yanked tight on the rope loop. Rome was about to begin binding the two together, when he glimpsed Shantiel falling from out the corner of his eye.


	27. Sickening Realization

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:**

**SICKENING REALIZATION**

Having not anticipated Apollo's lack of charm-conjuring prowess, Rome had to instantly drop his rope as the other vampire's concentration broke. Epimetheus bellowed like a bull moose and flailed his limbs in attempt to free himself, and thereby pushed Rome's cloak aside, which revealed his face.

In a lightning-swift movement, Prometheus sprang to hurdle the struggling vampires and caught Shan a microsecond before she hit floor. But not before Epimetheus made a blind reach for Rome with his gorilla-like arm and caught the edge of his cloak.

No sooner had Rome set Shantiel on the floor, when he felt himself get jerked downward by Epimetheus, a yelling Apollo getting dragged along for the ride because of the rope. Rome wriggled free from Epimetheus's grasp, twisted out of his cloak, and...in his own unique way, Disapparated. Except as a vampire, that's not what it was at all.

Apparently, Apollo had been more concerned with the indignity of being at the mercy of Epimetheus the Neanderthal, yet he finally severed the rope, which bound them together.

"You won't get away that easily, wretched virgin-blood!" shouted Apollo angrily.

"Who said anything about leaving?" Rome answered, bemused, smoothly reappearing out of Epimetheus's albatross arms. The gargantuan vampire turned and lunged for him. Rome disappeared again, laughing at Epimetheus's graceless landing.

"I'm enjoying this game," continued Rome, showing up a third time not ten feet from behind Apollo, "it's quite sporting."

Apollo bared his fangs, hissing ferally at hearing his rival's voice so close to him. But instead of turning around, the insufferable git pried loose a halberd from a nearby suit of armor in the hallway. Yelling as a warrior unhinged, he grabbed the weapon and took a wild swing.

Prometheus dodged the blade, hardly batting an eyelash. However, Apollo did manage to scalp Epimetheus and get its edge wedged in the wall between two bricks. The colossal vampire hollered midst moving down, as the top of his hair was lopped clean off.

Blinded by fury and droplets of blood, Epimetheus charged not at Apollo, but straight for the executioner's axe on the opposing wall. Rome even had to tumble out of his way mid-charge, to avoid getting trampled on.

Unnoticed by Apollo, Epimetheus had turned his anger on a less mobile yet more recently offensive target.

Apollo was trying to wrestle the imbedded halberd from the stones, when he seemed to sense something ominous going on behind him and suddenly whirled about.

Prometheus shut his eyes and heard the familiar whoosh-THUNK sound of the killing axe, as Epimetheus quit walking and swung. Then he opened one eye. A portion of Apollo's curly blonde hair was pinned to the wall, but he'd astoundingly ducked fast enough for the axe-holder to miss him. The hapless halberd however, was hacked diagonally in half. As weighted axes are heavy to handle, even Epimetheus was now lumbering around grunting instead of yelling.

Apollo had grabbed a bullwhip off the wall and was attempting to subdue Epimetheus with it. Although to the casual observer their antics would be a comedy of errors, Rome didn't find what he saw very amusing. They could just as easily hurt Shantiel as each other.

"Don't fight me," Apollo cajoled fruitlessly. "You overgrown circus behemoth, get _him_!" He'd jab a finger at Rome between cracks of the whip.

Regardless, Epimetheus was relentless in his pursuit, and virtually ignored the lashing Apollo gave him.

Prometheus would normally just leave them to it, but the time constraints and confined space were putting Shan and him in more danger. This charade needed stopped immediately.

Disappearating or hurling spells near a moving target such as the whip would be foolhardy, so Rome pulled a simple, yet sturdy steel sword from the same armor suit Apollo had snatched the ill-fated halberd.

The next time the whip was drawn back, Prometheus ran up behind Apollo, both hands on the sword hilt, and sliced down on the leather cord.

_CLANK_! the steel struck the floor, and the bullwhip was abruptly left without most of its tail.

Again he disappeared, this time before Apollo could pinpoint where Rome had just been. Even Epimetheus vaguely recognized that not having Rome in his field of vision anymore was a bad thing, as he'd halted midstride.

"See, you moronic oaf!" shouted Apollo. "He's gone again!"

"Looking for me, Chrome-dome?" taunted Prometheus, reappearing at knee-level behind Epimetheus.

Before the bulkster could turn, Rome angled his sword horizontally and simultaneously pushed the blade side while pulling the point through the back of Epimetheus's largest leg tendon. The huge vampire toppled as a felled tree, instantly dropping the heavy axe and yelling in pain all the way to the floor. Rome barely managed to scramble out from under the falling axe.

Now hamstrung, Epimetheus howled mightily in agony and frustration while gripping his severed muscle.

After discarding the damaged whip, Apollo retrieved a cat o' nine tails from the torture display. He brandished it expertly in Prometheus's direction. Rome, due to previous encounters, knew that Apollo had been a taskmaster for servants and slaves during his life. That was why he'd developed his rather masochistic flamboyance that persisted to this day.

Apollo's fangs glinted in the torchlight as he smiled twistedly and drew nearer. Rome found himself wishing he'd not severed that bullwhip.

And though unable to walk properly, Epimetheus would still hurl items intermittently in Rome's direction. However, his aims were too wild-he'd almost hit Apollo instead-so Apollo hollered at him to stop or else. Just how was Rome to disarm his half-crazed rival?

As he slowly backed away from Apollo and the weapon-with-nine-tails, he spared a few moments to wonder how the others were faring. With any luck, Ginny would be fine and they'd be on the way here to help. Funny how some things never change.

_Change_...Rome got the word stuck in his mind for some reason.. _change_...so he was prompted to give Apollo just that-change.

Very deliberately, Prometheus metamorphosed into the image he knew Apollo feared the most.

"I command you, STAND DOWN!" Rome shouted in Zeus's voice.

Apollo blinked, confusion flitting across his face. Then he scowled and flashed the cat o' nine tails midst a fierce lunge in front of Rome-Zeus who in turn, nearly dropped his sword. The young vampire bit back a grunt of pain as the shards tied to the weapon's tails slashed into the flesh on his hands and forearms.

Instead he stood his ground and roared at Apollo, "YOU ARROGANT BASTARD! This is why I released you from my guard! Insubordination and your arrogant ambition made you weak!"

Again Apollo paused, but it wasn't due to confusion this time; now he was getting angry.

"Stop trying to toy with me, virgin-blood. I know you killed The Sovereign."

And Apollo finished with a lashing of his weapon; Rome was prepared this time and neatly sidestepped Apollo's downward swing. But not without causing some retaliatory damage. As Prometheus moved, he'd swung his sword in a circle, catching some tails against the blade, when _CLANK! _Steel struck the stone once more and the cat o' nine tails became the cat o' five tails. Rome took advantage of Apollo's divided attention, advanced forward, and plunged the tip of his sword deep into his abdomen.

"Don't ever confuse me with that thrice-damned Potter again," growled Rome-Zeus in Apollo's ear, and he gave the sword a quarter-turn to the right before roughly jerking it back out from Apollo's gut. Such a wound might've been fatal to a human, but Apollo recoiled and retreated a few steps, purposefully falling to his knees. He'd even kept his grip on the weapon in his hand.

"Sire?" he implored of Rome-Zeus in a fearful voice, "is that really you?"

Rome threw back his head and the halls rang with derisive laughter.

"You contemptible coward! You can't really believe a bit of genuflection is going to save that pathetic neck of yours, can you? And of course I'm The Sovereign, you treacherous turncoat." Rome didn't have to feign any of Zeus's requisite emotion-his inner hatred for Apollo was all too real. Rome continued, "After you fled the palace grounds tonight, the tides were turned. And Pandora told of how she'd found about your mutinous plot with Epimetheus to murder me. How...mortal of you," scoffed Rome-Zeus.

Both Apollo and Epimetheus opened their mouths to protest, but Rome bellowed, "SILENCE!" to the pair. "If you are fortunate, my faithful subjects will merely kill you slowly. But as they came here on my order to find you both…" Rome lied flawlessly as he let Zeus's evil smile spread across his features, "you know the Guard doesn't take kindly to traitors." Looking straight into Apollo's eyes, Rome said meaningfully, "After all, there are fates much worse than death."

Suddenly and without warning, Epimetheus stood up...and stepped away from the wall while brandishing the killing axe again. _That was the problem with_ _vampires_, thought Rome ruefully, _unless you killed them, like an unwelcome in-law, the buggers never went away._

Apollo sprang upward and whipped around, fast as his injuries would allow. He quickly began ranting at Epimetheus once more, and the two began to wrestle with the axe, at opposite ends from each other.

Rome saw his opportunity at once: he dropped the blood-slicked sword, smeared hands across his shirt, grabbed the axe's staff with both hands, raised both feet off the floor, and swung around the wooden pole with all his might.

Apollo and Epimetheus abruptly found themselves trying to support a weapon that had increased its weight by a factor of ten. Rome estimated he'd have one complete turn over the axe before the pair got the idea to let go. Once, twice, around the polished staff he spun; halfway through the third spin, the two at last let go. Time seemed to halt as Rome reflexively flung out his legs, knees bent to better absorb landing.

Axe rod still in hand, Rome's bare feet struck the wall not far from the corridor ceiling with a firm slap. Two-and-a-half turns had given the young vampire plenty of momentum to literally sprint up the wall, halfway across the ceiling and complete a midair somersault.

All was happening so quickly, the pair on the floor could merely stare. Rome hung suspended during his planned-for fall from above them; then he dropped like a stone to the floor between the two vampires. But not before adding that crucial quarter-twist at the end.

Just as he stuck the landing, Prometheus rotated back and forth, agitator-style, striking Epimetheus and Apollo so many times, so fast, the axe blade broke off to clank on the floor as Rome's rivals collapsed from the blows, unconscious. That was fine for the young vampire, as he never intended to use the slicing feature of the thing in the first place.

Panting with exhaustion, Prometheus walked over to a suit of armor and grabbed a Slytherin sash off of it. He rent the fabric, tying the pieces around his palms and forearms so he wouldn't leave bloody fingerprints everywhere because of his wound slashes. Prometheus plucked his self-repairing rope off the floor and stashed it under his cloak. The battle with the Vampire King had weakened him substantially, if he was tiring out so quickly. Rome changed his face back to his original features.

He bent down and picked Shantiel up off the floor, but only made it a few yards down the corridor before running out of strength and having to set her back down again. He gently propped her up against the wall to gaze intently at her sleeping face. _They must've drugged her_, Prometheus thought darkly, _if she's spent this long away from them and still isn't coming around._

"Shan, please wake up, love."

Rome spoke softly, pushed her hair from her eyes, and tried desperately not to think how beautiful her face still was, how soft her cheek, how warm her lips, how against all odds he could be reunited with her at last...

His eyes grew misty with these thoughts, as he blinked rapidly and said, "I'm Harry, Shan-it's Harry. I need you to open those wonderful eyes for me, sweetheart. _Please_."

Shantiel stirred at last, sighed sleepily, and replied in a groggy tone, "Since when does Harry Potter call me something smarmy-Muggle, like 'sweetheart'?"

In spite of himself, Rome grinned hugely. At least that one thing hadn't changed...and that meant she'd be okay, eventually. He continued speaking to help Shan wake.

"I'd carry you if I could, but I'm sure to drop you," said Rome, standing up wearily, "so we're supposed to wait and-GAAAAAAAAH!"

Prometheus screamed as he felt something sharp bite deep into the back of his thigh and he crumpled to the floor. Next thing he knew, someone had seized his hair by the roots, pulling him partly off the floor in the process.

"Baaaaad little virgin-blood," Epimetheus hissed dangerously into his ear, and slammed Rome's head into the floor, face-first. Stars exploded behind his vision. He cried out as Apollo pried the blade from his thigh, only to bury it in back of Rome's shoulder, knocking wind from him. Epimetheus pulled Prometheus's head up three times more; Rome's nose along with several other facial features began to cave in from repeated impact with the stone floor.

As blood poured freely from Rome's eyes, nose, mouth, thigh, shoulder-the other two vampires shouted strings of epithets at him. It hardly mattered by now, as Rome was all but senseless due the beating he'd been given. The last thing he heard was Apollo saying, "Bring me the girl."

To his despair, all Rome managed to do was wheeze heartbreakingly, through a mess of blood, "Don't _touch_ her…!" before he finally lost consciousness.


	28. Rome's Final Stand

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:**

**ROME'S FINAL STAND**

Pandora could feel the intense worry that was radiating off of Ron and Hermione as the group ran through the corridors. Each time Ginny's scream punctuated the air, it seemed as if she were being dragged further and further away from them. That didn't surprise Pandora; sometimes vampires liked to play with their prey. Let the victim run away a bit, then catch her again. It was like an immortal game of cat-and-mouse. Judging by the spatters of blood left in intervals, it seemed as if that were indeed what was happening to Ginny.

By the time they finally caught up with her, it was too late. The girl lay sprawled on the stone floor in the dungeons. She was barely breathing.

Ron was nearly in tears as he leaned down and cradled his only sister in his arms, "Oh, Ginny, please be okay..."

"T-tell M-mum and Dad th-that I l-love them," Ginny choked out. Blood leaked out holes that had pierced her body and pink froth covered her lips. Hermione took her hand, "I'll miss you," she said to Ginny, with tear-filled eyes.

"I-I'll miss y-you guys, too," whispered Ginny. "I-I l-love you, R– "Ginny's mouth got caught on the final word. Ron held his sister to his chest, rocked her back and forth, and cried.

* * *

"Prometheus Reborn," a voice scoffed haughtily, "only to be on the floor and oozing blood everywhere." Rome felt someone dabbing his face as he came around.

"Such a pity really," continued the mocking voice, "he might've once been destined for greatness, but fortune frowned on him again."

Through his haziness of injury and waking up, Rome still had prudence enough to keep his eyes shut. He shifted just a bit; he was bound expertly at the wrists and ankles.

Remarkably, his face was nearly free of pain. Why the devil was Apollo bothering to clean and cure? He got the answer straightaway.

"And we want the young vampire's senses restored for what happens next, so we'll fix his nose and mop his face off, won't we?"

Rather than talking to Epimetheus, Apollo again seemed to have tripped over into his own delightfully malignant world. The egocentric vampire stood and backed up, as if to survey his "creation."

"At last we get to finish what we started all those months ago, Epimetheus." Transfixed, he continued, "Only it's even better now, as we can complete the switch by using _her_ first-blood." Prometheus was palmed roughly at the back of his neck by Epimetheus, and yanked to his knees. His face might be restored but the wounds in his thigh and shoulder blade ached fiercely, so much he nearly threw up with the motion.

Rome feigned waking up as Epimetheus shook him like a sack of flour. He saw Shantiel in his peripheral vision once again, hovering in trance over the stone floor. Apollo reached out and tore the sleeve of the blonde's shirt downward, exposing the juncture where her neck met her shoulder.

Automatically, Rome whipped his head around because of reflex, shouting, "DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" But Epimetheus put a stop to that immediately by forcing Rome to face forward again.

"And now, we present him with an offer no virgin-blood can refuse."

Prometheus knew Apollo was doing something bad to Shan; she stirred and whimpered, causing Rome to whirl around again while he roared, "LET HER ALONE, YOU'RE HURTING HER, STOP-"

Epimetheus's elbow met Rome's forehead a full velocity as the blow made him fall back and his head ricocheted off the wall behind him. It was so fast, Rome nearly blacked out once more. He fought his swimming vision as his head lolled against his chest.

"Two drops is all it takes," Apollo said, now smoothly walking back over to Prometheus. Epimetheus wrenched Rome's neck upward, so he would be looking straight at Apollo. The mongrel had hurt Shantiel, her blood was on his sharpened fingernails…then he took his two crimson-tipped nails and smeared one each in the corners of Rome's mouth.

Prometheus was overwhelmed by the searing heat of blood-fire pounding in his veins, drowning out everything else. Never before had he felt it so intensely… He stopped fighting the other vampires and they slowly released him.

Epimetheus and Apollo stepped back with victorious expressions, knowing what they had always intended to do was now done. Prometheus tried in vain to fight the virus one last time...blood pounding in his ears...tantalizing taste on his lips-he licked at it hungrily...thirst...hunger...feed...bite...and then, there was only Shantiel. Shantiel and what he could take from her…how she could sustain him...

Rome swept up to the unconscious blonde. Noticing the silvery locket around her neck, he grabbed the chain and tore it off her.

"Now and always together we'll be, joined forever as one. Love, Harry," he read the locket's inscription aloud. "Aww, how bloody touching," Rome snorted, throwing the charm and chain on the floor to crush it under his heel. Now leering in Shantiel's face, he tilted her head as all he wanted was to feed off the salty-sweet nectar that pulsed through her vein…Prometheus licked his lips as he bared his fangs and–

Screamed with blood-curdling agony once more.

Pandora took on the situation in mere heartbeats–saw that Prometheus was milliseconds away from drawing Shantiel's first blood–reached into her cloak, and threw her wooden spike at him with deadly accuracy. She'd been conditioning her mind of this possibility for months now, ever since Harry (it WAS Harry who implored it of her, she was certain) had first asked her to be the one to kill him, should his ages-long battle with the vampire virus be lost.

However...now...hearing him scream nearly tore her psyche to shreds...for it was not the soulless shrieking of a vampire that issued forth from Rome's throat... it was instead heartbreaking cry of a teenage boy who'd come within a hair's breadth of reclaiming what was rightfully his, only to have it cruelly stolen from him again... the vampyress wasn't sure whom she was more angry with–her former henchmen or herself.

Epimetheus and Apollo were furious to have their revenge on Harry Potter thwarted one last time... The pair of them rushed her, but she didn't care. There was no fear inside her anymore...only rage and hate. She was seized by the mortals from behind yet made no move to fight them off. They would learn she was not the traitor they took her for soon enough. Her thoughts and vision were only for Harry now.

The Headmaster Dumbledore bound and gagged Apollo and Epimetheus with a sharp twist-jab of his wand. Harry's mates from his mortal life had pushed past Pandora to huddle around him. A crimson stain from the grievous wound through his chest cavity streaked the stone where he'd slid down the wall to land beside Shantiel. Ron and Hermione were weeping over Harry's near-lifeless form, choking out how sorry they were that he'd come so close, only to have Pandora turn against them in the end...now Shantiel was coming around.

Pandora wasn't sure how much more of this human sorrow she could absorb, so she turned to Dumbledore and snapped, "Release them. Their followers now know they're directly responsible for creating the vampire who destroyed their Sovereign. Let them be tracked and hunted down like the animals they are," she spat.

"I'm curious then," the elder man answered with quiet fury, "what exactly does that make you?"

Pandora opened her mouth and replied, "A gravely mistaken fool." The contempt in her voice was directed solely at herself.

"A-a...f-fr-iend," a croaking whisper protested from the floor. _Damn him_, Harry was still attempting to speak on her behalf.. and even weakly stretched out a bloodied hand across the floor toward her...

Entranced, heedless of those restraining her, Pandora drew forward and knelt down to take Harry's proferred hand. His teenage friends glared at her with open hatred and confused hurt...but the only one of them who spoke was Shantiel.

"Why?" was all the blonde-haired girl could manage to utter, as tears coursed down her cheeks and she stroked the silver shock of Harry's fringe.

A million and one reasons stood behind Pandora's piercing her own sireling through the heart... _since I respect him...I once saw the world as you, Shan, but my love exploited me...Harry showed me the heart I never knew still existed...sometimes the best thing to do is the hardest one of all...to preserve his dignity, his humanity, his soul… _Yet...the only thing that Pandora could bring herself to say was the one thing she was certain Harry's dearest love and reason for living would be able to understand.

"Because," and Pandora's heart melted as she looked into Shan's watery eyes, "he asked me to."

In spite of herself Shantiel gave a sad little giggle as she gazed down into Harry's eyes. "Yes," she replied, "he can be quite persuasive."

"Thank you," the two teens whispered to Pandora, in tragic gratitude.

Hermione began gently sobbing, and Ron put one of his long arms around the girl..

"It's all for you," Harry wheezed to Shantiel, fluid now clogging his throat. "I'm so-ah-rry. N-n...eve-er...wah-ahn...ted to h-h...hurt- " suddenly Harry's body seized up on him...and gradually released the tension...and he stirred no more.

A great wave of sorrow swept through the group in the hallway, as the mortals not only mourned loss of one of the world's last greatest heroes...but an amazing person, a lost lover, a best friend.


	29. Human Again?

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:**

**HUMAN AGAIN?**

Pandora turned to everyone who now surrounded Prometheus and said, "I need to ask you all to please step away from him. An adverse reaction may occur when this is removed," and Pandora rested a hand on the deadly stake running through Harry's body. Everybody was too distraught to realize not only were Dora's last words a complete deception, but also that Harry had failed to release his grip on her hand. In a human, that could easily be attributed to some kind of muscular spasm...but physically at least, Harry was still very much the immortal Prometheus...

What nobody else knew is that her stake had some very fancy modifications done to it. The weapon was wood only on the outside...a protective sheath for the actual metal spike inside. She reached out, hit the hidden release trigger, and Rome's 'body' jerked back into motion, while everybody else made sounds of shock.

Pandora, however, smiled with great satisfaction after that jolting kickstart the removal of the stake caused. She leaned over Harry and asked in a slightly playful tone, "Still with me, kiddo?"

Nobody was more surprised than Rome, however. His eyes flew open and fixed on Pandora's face. "Hurts…" he gasped painfully...but then he joked, "still d-dead an-nd kicking."

Then Dora asked the awed crowd at large, "Now will somebody direct us to the nearest resurrecting facility? I believe this young man has a date with Mortality!"

Quickened footsteps echoed down the hall as much of the Order and school staff turned the corner to see the scene. Confusion of what just conspired there spread around the group like wildfire, only a few knew that time was running out.

The tall healer immediately went to work by conjuring a stretcher and examining the extent of Rome's wounds. On Dumbledore's orders, the rest of the adults began to usher out the four teenagers outside.

"Hagrid, could you please pick up Rome? He's lost an awful lot of blood, even for a vampire," Adonna said as she gave Prometheus a critical look.

"Of course, Madam Adonna," Hagrid said as he gently lifted the injured immortal. Pain that rivalled any other crashed over the young man as he lay on the stretcher. His tried his best to ignore it and focused on something else. Just moments before, Epimetheus and Apollo tried to use Shantiel to finish the transformation.

"Uhhhnnngg. Shan. Where's Shan.…?" Rome asked through groans of pain. He saw her timidly walking over to his side but he read the slight fear in her face.

"I'm right here…," Shantiel said softly. He was overcome with such relief that she was all right and was still by his side. But a twinge of guilt pulled at him.

He weakly clutched her hand in his bloodied one, "Are you...are you okay? You're not badly hurt?" He asked, glancing her over to make sure that nothing was wrong.

"No, I'm not hurt badly. I'm fine," she tried to smile while giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. She knew that now she needed to stay strong for the both of them. Adonna caused the stretcher to hover into the air as they made their way outside of the castle with everyone else gathered around.

They crossed the grounds in silence. It was Remus who broke it when they approached the gates, "Headmaster, do you have the Portkey for Godric's Hollow?" He asked the elderly wizard.

"Yes, right here, Remus," Dumbledore said as he set a worn old trash bin onto the ground. One by one everyone touched the bin and were immediately transported to the tiny quiet church that stood in the middle of the village. For Rome, Hermione, Ron, and Shan it feel like they had gotten back a year ago to when they defeated Voldemort. They walked through the graveyard as the sky turned a deep royal purple.

"The font is already cleaned and filled with holy water, Headmaster. I have the other items in my robes," Adonna said as she once again examined Rome, who was fading quickly. That alone made what they were about to do all the more dangerous.

"It's...it's nearly sunrise," Rome said, feeling himself want to drift off more and more but the hope of being mortal again was what kept him from slipping completely.

"Yes, thank you, Adonna," Dumbledore said opening the door of the church and led the way. They came to a room that had a stone font in the middle of the room. The water within it reflected off all the walls. A claw footed mirror stood feet away against a far wall. The stretcher finally halted in front of the font.

"Hagrid, please put Rome into the water," Adonna requested of the giant man. Hagrid placed Prometheus into the water and let him float.

Instantly the young vampire's entire body felt as though he had just been put into a bed of burning coals. He looked over to see the shared pain in a pair of sapphire blue eyes.

"Not–not much more of this–eh, Shan?" Rome gasped painfully but still smiled weakly. He knew that she was just as scared as he was. She returned the smile and the unspoken words stayed in her eyes. Adonna placed the Moonstone around Rome's neck and let it hang as a pendant. The healer then gave Promtheus several potions distilled from different woods that would help heal him. Next, Dumbledore steered Shantiel over to the mirror.

"This is the next step in the transformation, the Mirror of Erised, all it does is show us our deepest heart's desires. I want you to look into the mirror and see your deepest desire to help Harry return Mortal," Dumbledore explained to the young woman. She nodded before facing the mirror to see Harry standing next to her. The Harry she had been wishing for months to return to her. She heard thrashing behind her in the water.

"Is that clear? We need to be facing the mirror and thinking of Harry as we was when he was mortal. Him at his best," Adonna addressed everyone else in the room. To make this work he needed the strength and love of his family once more. Everyone immediately gathered around the mirror all wanting and seeing the same thing.

The sunlight shone through the stained glass window of the church and the sliver of light struck the water where Rome was. Both Hagrid and Remus quickly lowered the glass dome that hung above the font to keep the young man underneath the water. He began to thrash around more as the pain level rose tenfold, "NO. NOOOOO! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Like everyone else Shantiel was fighting the urge to run to him, to stop the pain he was experiencing, but her mother placed her hands on Shantiel's shoulders to reinforce what they were doing, even though she knew it broke her daughter's heart to see Harry in so much pain. Everyone kept their focus. For some time no one had seemed to notice that the thrashing had suddenly stopped. Out of concern, they looked at the font to see that Harry had vanished.

"He's gone!" Adonna exclaimed searching around and inside the font. Emotions of fear ran high. But seconds later, Harry reappeared by the side of the font, soaked and not breathing. Once again an ominous silence fell over everyone. They all feared the same thing it had been too much for his body to handle.

Remus spoke first, "Oh no, please...after all he's been through, don't let him be.…" He trailed off and shook his head.

"He was so badly hurt, all of the pain he must've been through," Adonna's voice caught on her words as she covered her mouth with her hand. Silent tears slid down Shantiel's face having once again witnessed losing the one she loved. She barely noticed that Hermione had pulled her into a hug. Dumbledore walked over to the young man as other members of the Order when to survey how much damage had been done.

"We mustn't give up all hope just yet," the elderly man said with unshakable reassurance. Hagrid lumbered passed everyone and right up to the pale crumpled Harry on the ground.

"You said it, headmaster. This is all he needs!" Hagrid said as he picked up the limp form on the floor with one arm and slammed him on the back with the palm of his open hand. To everyone's surprise, Harry lurched slightly and began to cough up tons of water and trying to suck in air through great heaving gasps.

"He's alive!" Adonna exclaimed incredulously. She checked to see if there was still fluid left in his lungs. Hagrid cradled Harry in his arms as one by one everyone touched the bin to be taken back to the school.

* * *

A heavy cloud of tension settled over everybody after the transformation. Harry had slipped into a deep sleep moments following the event and had yet to awaken. Adonna had explained that they wouldn't know if it truly worked until he woke, if Harry even woke for that matter. It was suggested that the piercing through the heart and the transformation ultimately drained him of any life.

Nothing happened for what seemed like the longest time, which seemed to make everyone's anxiousness grow more intense. They all were waiting for some kind of news…. Neville and Luna went to the kitchens to get everyone some hot cocoa.

Ron paced the corridor but stopped whenever he passed the door stared at it expectantly then continued pacing. Hermione and Shantiel both sat on a bench next to the doors.

"It's bad enough to lose Ginny, but to lose your best mate, too..."

"This feels like a sentencing for Azkaban," Hermione broke the silence.

Ron and Shantiel nodded in agreement with the bushy-haired girl. The feeling had became one of waiting to hear if someone was going to receive the Dementors' Kiss or not.

"I wonder what's going on in there," Ron questioned before continuing his march.

"I don't know," Hermione said solemnly. The others soon returned with steaming cups in their hands.

"Has anyone come out yet?" Luna asked somewhat hopefully.

Hermione went to respond as a familiar toadish looking woman in pink approached them smiling horribly.

"Well, well if it isn't Cornelius Fudge's ickle pet assistant," Fred said with dark sarcasm.

"What'd he promise you for coming out to offend us with your presence this time? A year's supply of your favourite brand of kitten plates?" George continued his brother's retort.

"I just got word that Harry Potter has drifted back into our midst," Umbridge said in her most sugar-coated voice but hinted with evil delight. "I'm sure you will be pleased that Potter is going to die a valiant hero just like he planned," she added with a giggle.

Ron started towards the woman, his hand on his wand, but Hermione held him back whispering, " Don't–it's not worth it."

Umbridge clicked her tongue while shaking her head, "Yes, I would expect all of you to defend him, even though all evidence points to Harry _himself_ being this mysterious Prometheus everyone is raving about. And now here is The Boy Wonder, showing back up again a year after his presumed death." The squat woman continued, "I wouldn't be surprised if Potter staged this whole thing to attract more attention. Killing You-Know-Who was to be his pinnacle moment, yet he couldn't bear seeing his name out of the limelight and conjured this scheme to continue the Potter Mystique. That would be so typical of Harry."

Neville and Ron both glowered at the woman. She laughed again, making the fire if indignation burn more inside Harry's friends.

"You know nothing," said a woman's voice from the end of the corridor. They saw Pandora standing there, her eyes livid with anger. "Absolutely nothing. Harry never planned any of this. He never wanted it at all and in fact, he proved it as so much as that he asked me to kill him with dignity. Put his body somewhere, someone could find him so you could see him one last time. The very reason he was at first bound and determined to die," she spoke calmly but frustration rang through.

She stepped forward, inches from Umbridge's face, her eyes burning like embers. "I learned very early on that he was the wrong human to even think of sireing. At the time, I was angry because he took away the one reason for revenge for my lover's death by Voldemort's hands. In the time he was with me, he taught me how to love and how to have hope. Something I hadn't experienced in a long time. And you actually have the nerve to say he wanted this? He _planned_ this?" Pandora glared at the other woman, who was now silent. "How dare you come here when you know nothing about Harry," she concluded icily.

Umbridge silently glared at the vampyress, a wave of pure hate reverberated off them filling the area where everyone stood. Pandora bared her fangs with her eyes still bright; she finally got her point across as Umbridge backed away. She let out a small chagrined huff before leaving. The second she was gone, an air of relief briefly washed over the group.

"So, have we heard anything?" Pandora asked concern took over in her voice.

Everyone shook their heads for an answer as the same haunting thought returned to everyone's mind.

The young blonde woman locked eyes with the vampyress. Pandora couldn't help notice the yearning inside Shantiel's pale eyes. Pandora joined the girl on the window seat and looked out at the outside world.

"That night…by the pond…he swore he didn't–couldn't possibly love me anymore," Shantiel said softly her eyes looking unseeingly at the window. Pandora looked at the girl sitting across from her.

Then Pandora said with assurance, "We must surmise the only reason he said that was to save you–from yourself and him. He finished the immortal change for your rescue, then lied about his own motivation to protect you. Even though it meant never seeing you again, he gave you a reason to let go, Shan," Pandora explained. Shantiel looked at her with a mixture of shock and guilt she looked at the hospital door. Harry was willing to risk everything for…her…. Pandora continued, "So you see–anything he did, he did for or because of you."

Dora paused, looked down, and said, "I'm a vampire simply because my own love wasn't selfless enough to protect or let me go. Harry's deepest regret was the lie to you, and his biggest fear was you might find out, and never forgive him. Letting someone go for their protection, even if it means never seeing them, is the highest sacrifice anyone can make. There is no greater love," Pandora's voice cracked at the end.

The blonde young woman sat there in a sea of overwhelming emotions; for nearly a year, she couldn't fathom why Harry did what he did that night. Now…she understood why his love for her and her protection overruled everything else. The door to the Hospital Wing opened. Everyone stood as Adonna stepped out. The anticipation once again reformed amongst the group.


	30. Demons and Dreams

**CHAPTER THIRTY:**

**DEMONS AND DREAMS**

"As you know," Adonna told them, "Harry lost a lot of blood and sustained many injuries as an immortal in the time before his retransformation. I'm not entirely certain any mortal can live through what he did. All we can do now is wait, so you might as well make yourselves comfortable," Adonna said. "Shantiel, please follow me." The girl nodded and stood while ignoring the turning of her stomach as to why her mum beckoned her. She quietly followed the woman back inside of the wing.

"Mum, what happened? Is everything okay?" Shantiel asked with fear in her voice.

"Don't look so worried, my daughter," Adonna said, tightly hugging Shantiel. "I need you to be by his side. Now is the time to practice the healing techniques I've been teaching you this past year." Though they spent hours on it, Shantiel couldn't help but feel unsure about doing it now. But it was her love and forgiveness of Harry that gave her the confidence she needed to do so.

Shantiel stepped quietly toward the partitioned area where Harry lay. All of the things Pandora had told them were now racing through her mind.

The young girl had only known Harry two years, yet had learned a lifetime of experiences with him. Each season seemed to reveal some hidden new facet of Harry's already wonderful personality or perspective on life…and death.

Before Pandora's takedown of Umbridge, Shantiel and the others could only speculate on Harry's exploits of the past many months. Now she knew with sureness what she always felt to be true–not even lure of immortality could erase who the young Potter was inside–a soul who dared to remain true and pure in mind and heart.

_A heart that never once lost love for me_, thought Shantiel as her body filled with warm tingles. Just before Shantiel was summoned to see Harry, Pandora had pulled her aside.

"It was our pact if he was ever overcome by...the virus, I'd stop him at all costs–before he lost all vestiges of his humanity. I respected him too much to refuse. It's the least I could do to preserve his legacy–especially since I'd nearly succeeded in removing it. Even after all I did to ruin him...he still forgave me. No, more than that–he showed me love and hope always exist-whether you believe it or not. I learnt that merely by what he did for you–stopping at nothing to save a life." Shockingly the vampyress's eyes grew moist as she finished. "He loves you so deeply that his last vow as Prometheus was to become mortal again or die trying. It was to be his apology for breaking your heart and deceiving you."

Shantiel paused at the foot of the hospital bed and gazed at the waxen figure within it. Her eyes welled with tears as she watched the unsteady rise and fall of Harry's chest. Though mere breathing was a battle, he valiantly struggled for every breath.

_How could any monster think he'd plotted to do this to himself on purpose? _Shantiel thought bitterly, hands balling into fists. She knew her tears couldn't help to reverse the abomination of the vampiric virus, however. It was a boost that Adonna was more hopeful of Harry's recovery than ever, now he was back in known surroundings and allowed to be seen by his loved ones.

"Just talk to him," the healer told her daughter, "reassure him, speak of his interests–anything you'd do as if he were awake. The crucial part is to just to let him hear the voices of you and his mates. I promise this familiarity will make all the difference."

So the blonde girl willed herself to relax, stood next to the left bedside, and hovered a hand over Harry's upper body, instinct guiding her to the place harboring the most intense imbalance in his aura. Honed instinct also drew her to reach over and cover that slow-healing hole in his sternum. But it was undying love that caused her to draw such excruciating pain away from him, and not shrink from it.

At Shantiel's touch, both she and Harry gave involuntary gasps and even ceased breathing for a short time. The girl was simultaneously overwhelmed and strengthened by this shared contact. Pandora's stake may have pierced Harry clean through spine, lung, and heart-but oh, how bravely his spirit still fought!

Shantiel knew her healer mum was perfectly skilled to alleviate this pain, yet…the dark-haired woman had specifically reserved the honor for her daughter. And because of that, Shantiel would be forever grateful.

* * *

It was a brilliant summer's day. Harry walked hand in hand with Shantiel around the lake at Hogwarts. The girl had found a small patch of purple flowers as they were walking and picked some blossoms to put in her hair. Whenever she did something like that, Harry was always reminded of how much the small young woman looked more like elfin royalty than human wizarding student.

Suddenly, he thought he'd heard a voice call his name from somewhere near the edge of the Dark Forest. He turned to follow the sound, still holding hands with Shantiel. She asked him where they were going, but he didn't answer. The voice seemed to be growing more faint now, and he wanted to find whomever it was before it disappeared entirely. He picked up his pace.

The longer he heard it, the voice changed into more lure than mere call for attention. Without realizing it, Harry was being irresistibly drawn toward the heart of the forest.

Shantiel repeatedly asked what he was doing and why, yet he continued to ignore her.

Frustrated that she was holding him back, Harry even let go her hand, and broke into a full run. He had to find the source that called his name, beckoned ceaselessly for him...

Yet as soon as he crossed the forest threshold, Shantiel's calls to him ended mid-cry.

Instantly, the happy sunshine sky turned to inky bleeding blackness. This abrupt change jolted Harry out of his trance-like state and he whirled around to see what had happened to Shantiel. But she wasn't there anymore. NOTHING was behind or in front of him-no light, no sound-just a pulling dark void, hungry to devour everything in its path.

Determined not to be its next victim, Harry whisked out his wand. The influence surrounding him was extremely dementor-like, but still different somehow. And he still couldn't see the creature he sensed.

Harry let out a stifled scream; the unseen presence had seized his body, driving him to his knees. Pure evil was now upon him-he'd hoped vanquishing Voldemort would be the last he'd experience this depth of terror-but then it literally bit into him, piercing Harry in the vein on his neck.

He tried to fight it off, now horribly aware of what the evil was trying to do to him, but neither his limbs nor his senses would cooperate. A mesmerizing scent swirled about him and invaded his nostrils; Harry slipped deeper and deeper into evil-induced slumber, powerless to stop its draining of his very will and lifeblood...

* * *

A soft whisper of her name summoned Shantiel out of her slumber, "Harry?" Shantiel muttered sleepily before she opened her eyes. Harry must have just come to because his voice sounded so soft and airy.

Sheer panic struck her the second her eyes opened to find that she was not at Hogwarts nor was Harry next to her. Her breath quickened as fear tightened her chest. _Oh NO…it's happened again, Voldemort kidnapped me out from under everyone's noses at Hogwarts…even made sure to hurt Harry and keep him out of the way… _It wasn't long before her logic kicked in and took over. _Wait…Voldemort died a year ago…so where am I? _

She pushed herself off the stone hard floor where she was sleeping on and scanned her surroundings. She was in a circular room with stairs leading to somewhere. It was a place she knew she had never seen before.

What had happened while she was sleeping…who had brought her to where she was and most importantly where was she? It was different than the cage that Voldemort kept her in the previous year to lure Harry to his headquarters. The first thing she had to do was find some way of getting out.

Something moving to her left caught her attention and she turned to see some kind of archway with a grey worn torn veil. It gently swayed in a non-existent breeze and it seemed to hypnotize the blonde girl. Shantiel cautiously walked to the mysterious veil and she stopped right in front of it. She began to grow more hesitant as she bit her lip musing everything over, and she looked over her shoulder expecting someone to come.

"Shan…" She jumped and quickly turned around her heart racing inside of her chest. She wasn't alone after all, someone else was there…someone her heart knew, but where was he? Was he okay or badly hurt?

"Harry? Where are you?" She called out once again to the empty room, but silence was her only reply. She sighed frustrated with herself for thinking Harry was there.

"Shan…" Harry's voice issued softly from behind the veil causing Shantiel to quickly spin back around to face the veil once more. Her heart was now pounding even faster then before.

"Harry?" she questioned the veil and Shantiel reached up her hand and pulled back the veil only to reveal the emptiness inside it. Immediately her heart sank, she dropped her hand letting the veil fall place in its place. It began swaying again as she watched it briefly. _What am I doing here? _She shook her head. "Don't be silly," She scolded herself.

"Shantiel, I NEED YOU," This time it was so clear that it sounded like someone has shouted it in her ear. As a woman half-possessed... she watched her own arm pull back the curtain once more, but it was like seeing somebody else do it...

Shockingly, a hand shot out from the milky blankness. Shantiel's cry of surprise died in her throat as the disembodied hand guided her though the doorway. Soon, a blinding white light flashed engulfed her completely…

* * *

Next, before Harry knew it, he was back with Shantiel again...the evil nightmare fading away as if it never happened. Apparently he had just fallen asleep on a blanket next to the edge of a large pond in the moonlight.

His girlfriend was teasing him for being so sleepy. As it was obviously quite late now, they helped each other up and were about to gather their belongings when Harry heard that same prior summoning beckon to him again. Turning toward Shantiel, the young man realized it was coming from _her_. But how could that be? He'd even left her behind last time...

Shantiel saw him coming toward her and held out her arms to embrace him...but that was not Harry's intention. He was inexplicably drawn to the juncture of her beautiful neck. A heady, intoxicating scent filled his lungs, mind, body...suddenly Harry became blind to anything, but hunger...he was needing to feed so badly–he closed his eyes and clamped his mouth down against Shantiel's skin.

She screamed loudly, told him that he was hurting her...but he didn't care–there was only one thing now–finally, he could quench the bloodfire in his veins...he never even knew how long he'd been starving for it...drain it out, salty warm nectar... The blonde girl tried to struggle against him, but he knew she was powerless to stop his allure...

Harry shrieked ferally and pulled immediately away from Shantiel. He looked down; a pointed end of something was protruding from his chest…NO!

* * *

The flash faded and Shantiel found herself standing in a beautiful green field with pink, white, and purple flowers scattered everywhere. A crystal clear waterfall roared into a sparkling pond underneath it. The beauty took her breath away and nearly forgotten how she got there.

Reality settled in again as she felt the disembodied hand still holding hers. Her pale eyes traveled downward to see that the hand was now connected to an arm. Shantiel slowly followed the arm to her surprise and utter disbelief to find a pair of familiar emerald green eyes.

"Harry?" she said, completely shocked. She blinked several times to make sure she hadn't gone completely mental.

He smiled and nodded pulling on her hand as he said, "I want to show you something. Or someone, rather." She allowed him to lead her over to the flowing waterfall tempted to ask where they were and how they got there.

"Look," Harry pointed to the waterfall. Her gaze followed to where he was pointing. There behind the watery curtain she saw…people behind it, faces. Shantiel let out a tiny gasp as she saw the most beautiful faerie tale mermaids she had ever seen. Their singing was so enchanting...

"Oh my...are they even real? It seems too good to be true…" she said in awe as they continued their beautiful song.

"I know," he said, even more enthralled. "That's what I thought the first time I saw them. But...they're just as real as you and me." Harry dropped Shantiel's hand and began to climb the steep cliff of rocks next to the waterfall.

Puzzled, Shan asked, "Harry, what are you doing?"

"Just going higher for a better look," he replied, steadily going further up the rock face.

Now completely baffled, Shantiel said, "Better...what? You can't see them any better than when you're standing right here," she pointed out. Harry was now so high up next the cascading water there was no way he could see even a hint of the finned maidens hidden behind the waterfall.

Harry, still not breaking his ascent, explained, "But they want me to do this–they're calling for me. Can't you hear it? My parents are saying my name."

"Your...what?" Shantiel repeated, now having to shout over the roar of the water. All logic appeared to have dropped out of their exchange. _Harry's parents, calling to him? _The only thing she saw and heard were the mermaids... Then she remembered...old sea legends about female sirens leading shiploads of sailors to their deaths..._was that the effect the mermaids' song was now having on Harry? _

"HARRY!" Shantiel screamed, as he was almost at top of the cliff. "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

"But...but I can't!" he shouted back, clearly torn by what he should do. "They want me back.. and this is the only way I can be with them again…"

She couldn't hardly believe her ears...this was just too unreal. Like some perverted, waterlogged version of the Mirror of Erised, the mermaids had magically disguised themselves as his parents...so they could lure Harry to meet his doom...

"LISTEN TO ME HARRY!" Shantiel cupped her hands to her mouth, being as calm as she could stand under the circumstances. Shrieking like a banshee wouldn't help him understand what she was saying. "THOSE AREN'T YOUR PARENTS! THEY'RE EVIL WATER SPRITES.. THEY WANT YOU TO KILL YOUR OWN SELF, SO JUST COVER YOUR EARS! WALK AWAY FROM THE WATERFALL! I'LL COME AND GET YOU…" _Somehow… _she added to herself inwardly. Harry disappeared from his position overlooking Shantiel from the top of the cliff, so for one glorious moment Shantiel thought she'd gotten through to him at last. But then she watched in paralytic horror as the young man leapt into the air from the rock face rim, over the waterfall, and plunged into the pool to meet his death.

* * *

As his blood seeped out into pools around him, he figured out why he'd never sensed the presence this time...when it had bitten Harry earlier, he must've transformed into a similar creature, completely unaware to the change... Then he'd bitten Shantiel, thus continuing the cycle...evil begets evil, begets still more evil...

Harry was grateful someone had sought to end it all, even if it meant his own destruction–he didn't want to live this way... If only it didn't hurt so excruciatingly...he quit breathing...his heart was still pumping spasmodically, trying to keep him alive...he could no longer see...yet it was only making more blood pour out of him...death was tantalizingly close, teasing him...

Someone had thrust a stake clean through him..._oh, how it hurt, make the pain stop..._suddenly Harry was filled with the need to get to the pond...if he could, it would heal him...he knew it...

But he was so far away! Harry tried crawling on hands and knees but the motion aggravated the object that ran through his chest. So he attempted to push himself along the grass on his side...but only made it a few feet further before he crumpled to the ground, energy completely spent. Harry was never going to make it to that healing pond of water; yet he was still dying...death would not claim him fast enough...

* * *

"NOOOOOO!" Shantiel screamed in terror, falling to her knees at the edge of the deep yet dangerous pond. With the undertow from the falls, there was no way Harry could get out of there by himself.. let alone alive. But what could she do? She had no rope, nobody to help her, nothing. Tears found their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks.

Very abruptly, two beings clad in white robes materialized from out of the trees just beyond the misty pool of water. As if watching Harry be dashed to death upon the rocks wasn't hard enough, Shantiel was now face to face with her own parents...Jake and Annie. The young blonde girl was speechless.

Annie spoke. "Darling Shan, we love you, we want to stay with you. But now isn't the time for that...somebody's son needs you far more than we do right now."

Jake smiled kindly and said, "We love you, Tilly-bug. Couldn't be more proud. Now we'd best leave…the Potters need to speak."

They disappeared as quickly as they materialized and two new forms became visible in front of her. She knew from pictures that Harry had shown her who they were and the woman's eyes were unmistakably Harry's.

Lily said, "Shantiel, as we've watched our son grow to manhood, we know he couldn't ever have become the wonderful person he is now without the influence of your own power of light and undying love for him. It was you who brought him back from mortal death."

Harry's mum turned to James as he went on, "Now it must be you who saves him from immortal death. Physical restoration is only a fraction of what must be done."

"Harry needs to believe...needs to _know_ you forgive him.. you can love him still," continued Lily. "Please.. help him know its not his fault. Guilt is not the answer. Once more, we thank you for loving our son when we can't, and saving him when he can't save himself. We ask you, as our surrogate daughter, to save our son once more...go where we can't. Thank you."

Then they too melted back into the forest where they had come, leaving the blonde girl alone once more…

* * *

Suddenly, somebody started dragging Harry along the ground–his arms were being jerked by someone–and they were tugging him closer to the water. He couldn't even lift his head to look, but the person wasn't very big or strong, as they struggled to take him further to the pond.

Just as they reached the edge–Harry could tell because his fingers now dangled in the water–the person stopped pulling him along the grass. He had to listen for where he or she was moving...in front of him now...as his sight no longer functioned...

A familiar female voice said, "Hold on–it's nearly over–I just have to do this...let me help you..."

It was Shantiel! How could she possibly be assisting him after what he'd just done to her?

And then he lost all sense of anything as she began to pull the stake from his chest...blinding, searing, pain...no, just get it over with...let me die, _please_, Shantiel–you shouldn't rescue evil...

Harry vaguely felt himself falling into the surface of the pond–Shantiel had finally got him into the water...how, he didn't know...

The cooling water was at last having some effect...his pain was being drawn away...at last...

Then something began pulling him into the depths of the pond, gripping him...he couldn't even move–he couldn't even breathe underwater, let alone fight against the water at all, his strength was just barely beginning to return...but the whirlpool forming around him was sucking him down into the cold hell of oblivion...water filled his mouth, nose, lungs...this was so much worse than the lake at the Triwizard Tournament... Harry was drowning, drowning...and oh the pain, PAIN...he was losing awareness quickly-

Someone's arms closed about his chest, and started yanking him up toward the surface...a hand pressed against either side of his torso, covering the hole the stake had made through him...then he mercifully lost consciousness altogether, able to fight no more.

* * *

Shantiel stood and wiped her tears, knowing what she had to do. She walked back a bit as she saw Harry's limp body near the surface then be sucked back under again. Then without a second thought, Shantiel ran and plunged into the freezing water. She went under and saw his body sinking, immediately she swam down. She wrapped an arm around his torso, making sure she had a good grip on him. She began to swim back to the surface using her other arm, while fighting with the undertow.

Shantiel re-surfaced with Harry at her side they both coughed and gasped for air as the current pulled relentlessly from underneath them. Shantiel used every bit of strength she had to pull them out of the whirlpool.

* * *

Harry woke to a blinding white light surrounding him. He went to shift his glasses but noticed they weren't there. He waited for his eyes to adjust and when they did he saw that he was in what looked like King's Cross. But it was slightly different, everything was a brilliant white. It was eerily silent. He jumped when a voice spoke behind him.

"Hello again, son," his father's voice said. Harry turned to see both his parents standing behind him. Harry's mind what a jumbled mess; did this mean that the transformation failed? Was he now dead? He half didn't want to know the answer.

"Where are we?" Harry asked while curiously taking in the surroundings. Lily walked up to him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Where do you think we are?" Lily asked.

"It looks like King's Cross but not," Harry said, looking at his mother with dread filling him. He knew the truth of what had happened. He waited for the explanation as to how badly things had gone. Lily smiled at him and nodded.

"Follow us," Lily said, as she started to walk down the corridor. Harry obeyed with his father by his side. Harry hated the silence and not knowing anything. "You aren't dead," Lily answered his unspoken question.

"Then why am I here?" Harry asked, James stopped and turned to him.

"That is up to you," James said, smiling. Harry was now even more confused with everything. Lily stepped up to both men.

"You say that this is King's Cross. Then if it is, there must be a train right?" Lily said. Harry nodded again. "So, then it's you who makes a final decision as to where you go." Another voice spoke from behind him causing his heart to leap and drop all at the same time. He turned to face his beloved who stood where he had moments ago.

"Harry…" Shan said, smiling. But it wasn't her, exactly...it was an ephemeral version of her, as she wasn't quite there with them. Guilt filled the young man as he stared at her.

"You see, Harry, Shantiel transferred some of her life force to you in order to complete the transformation," James explained and looked at his wife.

"But what you must do to make it fully affective is that you must be able to forgive yourself for what happened," Lily concluded, "and choose if you want to go on or return home to those you love." Harry looked between his parents and the girl he loved. How could he forgive himself so easily? Or make the choice? As he looked into Shan's eyes it came to him. He made the hardest choice for love and so did his parents. If he went on then what was that proving?

"Go, Harry," Lily said, reading his thoughts once more. Harry looked back at them one last time. Both parents looked at him with so much love.

"We are so proud of you and we will always love you. And we're always with you," James said. Harry repeated the words before rushing over to the blonde and was finally able to gather her in his arms. He placed his head on top of hers. He let the emotion overwhelm him wholly. He closed his eyes. Everything slowly faded around them.

* * *

As soon as Shantiel reached to the other side of the pond and climbed out onto dry land, she began to yank Harry from under his arms out of the water. After struggling with pulling him out, she gently laid him down on the ground. Her energy completely spent, she collapsed next to him and before she lost consciousness, she saw a blurred figure standing only feet away from them…

Shantiel, very exhausted by this internal battle, fought to see Harry resting peacefully next to her and smiled her relief... Harry could finally draw breath without struggle...and the worn grimace of pain that he'd had over a week no longer graced his features. He was actually resting easily now.

Shantiel would've leapt for joy, had she not been drained by this transfer of life force. But she seated herself next to Harry's side and slipped her hand around his instead. She curled herself around his sleeping form...only daring to touch his hand... and fell asleep.

* * *

Harry had a rude awakening back to consciousness...no, or he was still in that nightmare hell where he'd been sired...made immortal...blindly tried to give Shantiel the same dismal destiny... But…someone had the foresight to stop him before he could...oh the pain...

Harry's heart pounded in his ears, drowning out all else…drown, cold, freezing drawing water into his punctured chest cavity instead of oxygen...cruel misery...his outward cry instead got stuck in his throat, and he rasped desperately for more air...Wait. _more_ air? Where was he getting it from to begin with? Forcing himself to breathe more slowly, reality gradually overtook irrationality...

Harry wasn't drowning...not even immersed in water...he was instead resting on a sea of pillows and blankets…safe…warm…yet in such exquisite pain and exhaustion, he literally couldn't see. It required every last ounce of effort he had simply to breathe evenly. Not even after the car crash and his soul-rejoining last summer could rival the intense agony he was now feeling.

Struggling for something to distract himself, he recalled the last of the dream he awoke from...Shantiel...it was her who'd got him to the water...reassured him, regardless of what he'd done to hurt her...how he wished he could only hold her again…said everything…he'd never got a chance to, and all without using words…

Shantiel was simply like that-she just knew how he felt, even though he'd rarely have the words to tell her. His recollections of all that Shantiel meant to him were now so strong, Harry would swear she was right next to him.

He fancied watching noonday light play across the gold strands of her hair...summertime weather brought out the warmth of her scent…spiced peaches in the sweetest cobbler... Everything about his greatest love radiated light…Shantiel's sunny smile…crazy laugh...the way she could make anybody feel like they were the most special person in the universe. But she reserved the best of herself for someone as flawed and undeserving as Harry knew he'd turned out to be. He blanched, hands involuntarily spasming at his last thoughts.

As swiftly as a bolt of lightning, Harry sensed somebody else in his presence...but it wasn't just anyone, oh no. He wasn't hallucinating her into being after all...his pain became lessened, not because of Harry's thoughts of her, but because her simple act of holding his hand. For it _had_ to be her hand in his; there was none other so delicate, silky, nor warm as Shantiel's.

_What an amazing gift she has,_ thought Harry, inhaling her aroma deeply as he dared. He wondered if she was born with it, or if Adonna had shown her how to heal at a touch. He tried to hold tighter onto her hand, while musing outlying mystery of these surroundings...

"Glad, to see you're awake, Harry," Adonna's voice said from Harry's far left. He could hear the relief in her voice, "You're at Hogwarts, in the Hospital Wing," she answered his unspoken question. "Shantiel's been learning some healing techniques from me this past year. She helped bring you back to us. There's been a transfer of life force and she helped to stabilize you. I couldn't bring myself to wake her. I hope you don't mind." The tall healer made her way to his bed.

Harry smiled weakly, shook his head once, and continued running his hand over Shan's hair.

"Time to wake up, Shantiel," Adonna said, lightly touching her daughter's shoulder. "I need a chance to examine Harry."

"Oh!" exclaimed the blonde girl sleepily, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall sleep—" she stood up gingerly and stretched.

"It-it's o-okay," Harry said, his voice still raspy. He looked up at her and managed another tired smile. 'Th-thank you."

"I'm just so glad you're okay!" said Shan, enveloping Harry in a big embrace. She couldn't help herself. Then she backed away and let Adonna finish her work.

"The transformation went exceptionally well from the looks of it," Adonna said, beginning to examine him. "Then again, you are 'The Boy Who Lived'," she quipped.

"Even...I'm surprised…I'm still…alive," he responded, sounding winded. Adonna and Shantiel chuckled.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humour. That's a good sign," she said while checking his pulse and heart rate. "Rather lower than normal but that is to be expected," she assessed. "Otherwise, very good. Doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want yet. Your body will take some time to be able to absorb nutrient properly," Adonna warned. "Are you up for some chicken noodle soup and pumpkin juice?"

Harry blinked a bit. "Are you sure? I'm okay? No more—vam—" he stopped, as if scarcely believing it could be true. "No more immortal vampire?"

Adonna smiled warmly at him. "Oh, Harry...I can only imagine what you've gone through this past year. It must have been horrifying, the experiences you had to endure. However, I am happy to tell you that yes—you are very much mortal and very much alive once more."

Harry closed his eyes in blessed relief. He couldn't hardly bring himself that it was over, he could be himself—Harry Potter—again, and not Prometheus. It was almost too good to be true. No, it really was too good to be true. He took one of Shantiel's hands again.

"Might I have that soup now, please?" he asked Adonna softly. "I've just now realized how starving I am...I haven't eaten a good meal since last fall!"


	31. In Memoriam

Shantiel helped Harry with his soup and was so careful with everything she did. Harry was grateful to her for being so careful, yet he couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated with her at the moment. Harry wasn't made of glass, for crying out loud. He reached up to caress Shan's cheek. She smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "My Golden Snitch…" Harry smiled softly. For the millionth time, he felt like he needed to apologize for everything he done to her that year. "I'm so sorry-" Shantiel shook her head and held up her hand.

"It's okay. I know," she said simply yet with firmness. Harry looked into her eyes seeing such forgiveness as she leaned down and kissed his forehead. She ran her fingers through his hair. The door opened, Hermione and Ron entered. Hermione rushed over and hugged Harry.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad that you're okay!" she exclaimed as she released Harry and returned to Ron's side.

"So, how are you feeling?" Ron asked his best mate. Harry let out a sigh and smiled.

"Honestly, I'm much better!" Harry replied, causing everyone to smile. Ron smirked at the young man.

"You have to admit being a vampire was pretty wicked," Ron said, in his usual way. Hermione smacked his arm as she shook her head. "Ronald!" she scolded him. Harry and Shantiel laughed. Ron rubbed his arm.

"What! You have to admit it would be a little cool!" Ron said in his defense. Hermione sighed again.

"It might seem that way, Ron. But I'm happy that it's all over now and never have to do that again," Harry said with relief as he took Shantiel's hand again. He looked at all three of them. He couldn't have been happier or more at peace than he was then.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked, suddenly remembering what had happened before the transformation. Ron looked down and ran a hand through his hair. Both girls were fighting back tears. That alone told him everything. His stomach sank.

"We didn't make it in time…" Ron said, softly as his eyes drifted off to where his family all gathered around a bed. Harry's stomach sank even further.

After a few moments, Harry was finally able to express his honest condolences, "Ron, I'm so sorry…"

Ron nodded and cleared his throat, "It's okay, mate..." he said in response. Hermione and Ron both hugged Harry before walking over to where the Weasleys stood. Harry's heart broke for them.

The blonde girl remained by his side until her mother told her to go rest. Harry was left alone to his thoughts of wondering who else had died.

* * *

Harry had been so deep in empathy and grief for the Weasleys that he barely noticed Dumbledore walking into the hospital wing. Harry was startled when the headmaster spoke.

"It seems that the transformation went well," Dumbledore said with a hint of amusement. Harry barely nodded in reply. It had been so long since he had spoken to the professor like this that it seemed a bit out of place for the young man to do so now. The internal battle raging on inside the young man's mind roared to life. He still hadn't completely forgiven the elder professor for what had happened the past year.

"Not without a price though, right?" Harry said as he looked over at the red-haired family. "But only Severus truly understood that…I saw him…" Harry said, after a few moment of silence.

Dumbledore sighed and nodded, replying, "Yes, he still lost everything in hopes of regaining it."

Then the young man's eyes grew cold as he looked back up at Dumbledore. "But then again, he was as foolish as I was in trusting in your judgment," Harry added with a hint of bitterness. He couldn't entirely hide the bit of resentment he carried for Dumbledore. The professor remained quiet. Harry knew he went too deep but he was through with being so forgiving.

"Yes, well…he did what he would have done for those he respected most," Dumbledore said calmly. "To him, it was a way to right many wrongs in his lifetime, including what I did to him." Harry tried to smash down the guilt building up inside of him. Albus always had a way of piercing Harry's internal turmoil. "Forgiveness is not always an easy task. Severus knew that well." Harry looked at the blanket and said through clenched teeth, "Yes, and it's more difficult when you have certain things happen that cause your heart to harden," Harry replied, still avoiding the man's eyes. He waited for Dumbledore's usual commentary about how different Harry was as a vampire and how he had blocked all human emotions…but instead, the elder man remained silent. This alone drove Harry a bit crazy. Dumbledore peered at the young man over his half-moon speculates.

"I see you haven't quite forgiven me for our journey in the cave," Albus said quietly. Harry's eyes wandered around the room, Dumbledore had only hit the tip of the iceberg with what he said.

"Among others things that happened," Harry said coolly. Dumbledore sighed and filled the growing silence.

"I do admit in my many years of life that I have made a fair share of mistakes. Wanting power more than anything else—and I experienced the losses of what that power brings. Maybe what happened this year reminded me of that," Dumbledore said with true regret. Harry kept the wall up between himself and the headmaster. "I wanted so much for you to remain the young man that I knew before. I pushed too hard to obtain that again, even when I knew you had changed. For that, I am sorry. You did what you could because you felt it was the only way. It was your way of protecting yourself and those you love," Dumbledore analyzed. "We all act differently in a given situation. You refused to see you were still human. However, when we went to the cave—and even before that, with Shantiel—you were forced to see what scared you the most. Therefore you came to have a form of hatred for me for bringing that upon you." Dumbledore concluded. Then his eyes became intense and full of purpose. "I came to tell you something, Harry. Before he died, Severus wanted me to show you something. He thought it may help your decision in becoming mortal once more." This definitely caught the young man's curiosity and attention.

"What do you mean?" Harry said, slightly suspicious of the elderly man. Dumbledore smiled and went on.

"Well, he told me of your initial reaction to the possibility of becoming mortal again. As a last-ditch effort to change your mind, he wanted to share with you his reasoning for what he did and show that it was also for love," Dumbledore said, peering at Harry's unsure expression. Harry watched him for a moment more now debating what truly lay behind Dumbledore's intentions this time.

* * *

Harry followed the headmaster to his office with a fair amount of doubt buzzing around him. He half wanted to turn back but his curiosity drove him to keep going. They entered the circular room. Harry looked around him as if he had forgotten what it looked like. The sound of the cabinet opening and closing called the young man back to reality. He saw Albus placing the Pensieve in front of him. The headmaster handed him a vial with many silver strands inside of it.

"Memories?" Harry narrowed his eyes at the elder wizard. Albus simply folded his arms and nodded. "I take it you aren't coming with?" The young man questioned him. Dumbledore shook his head and replied with a smile.

"No, I believe that Severus meant this to be something between the two of you," Dumbledore said knowingly. Still cautious, Harry opened the vial and let the memories slip into the basin. The liquid within started swirling as colors and shapes formed. The young man sighed before putting his face into the surface and in seconds his feet landed on soft lush ground. He saw that he was standing in what was Spinner's End. He recognized the hill and the over grown oak tree.

Voices of two little girls floated to Harry's ears; he followed them until he reached the tree. There he saw a girl with auburn hair talking to a dark haired girl. Harry knew who they were but he never knew that his mother and Severus grew up together.

"Sis, watch this!" the young Lily said, with innocent excitement. Lily opened her hands, letting a magnificent butterfly fly out. Petunia watched but seemed put off by her sister's display.

"You know that you shouldn't be flaunting off that stuff," Petunia said stiffly as she folded her arms across her chest. Harry understood the slight look of rejection on his mother's face. Suddenly a boy in a dark outfit and chin-length black hair walked out from behind the tree. Petunia gasped and grabbed Lily's arm. "You get away from us," she ordered the boy.

"No. Besides, you shouldn't tell people what _not_ to do, especially if you know nothing about what they _can_ do," young Severus said angrily. A small smile appeared on Lily's face. Her sister huffed and walked away. Lily giggled nervously but turned stern.

"Sev, that was not nice," Lily said, "you know how she is." The two walked to the base of the tree. Severus leaned against it. Lily sat beside him, picking the small daisies around them.

"She doesn't understand you like I do," he said, watching her. "Or see how special you are."

Then the memory faded away, but a new one soon followed. Harry found himself in the Great Hall as the first years were being Sorted. On the stool was 11-year-old Lily and she was about to get Sorted. In the crowd Harry could see a very anxious Severus Snape.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat bellowed, breaking the intense silence. The Gryffindors all cheered for her but devastation read on the young boy's face as Lily made her way over to the table. Once more the brief memory gave away to another.

Lily and Severus were by the Black Lake. Harry figured that it must have been after the Sorting ceremony.

"We'll always be friends," Lily said, facing Severus. "It doesn't matter what house we're in now. We will always be friends."

Before Harry's eyes, years passed and Harry was standing in the same memory he had seen almost three years previously in Snape's office.

"James Potter, you leave him be!" Lily said, her eyes flickering with untamed hatred. James and Sirius were laughing as Severus hung upside down in the air. Lily broke through the crowd as James continued. "I said put him down at once!" Lily demanded of James. He sighed but grudgingly obeyed the girl.

"We were just having fun with Snivelly," James said, annoyed. Lily shook her head and walked up to Severus. Immediately he demeanor changed to someone much more kind.

"Are you all right, Sev?" she asked with sincere concern. Severus looked at her, still humiliated by what just happened. He scowled.

"Get away from me, you filthy Mudblood!" Severus spat at her with unexplained anger. Harry saw deep pain flash across Lily's face as the last word was spoken.

"Take it back!" James bellowed as he aimed his wand at Severus's face. Everything faded out again.

Images coalesced once more, and Harry could make out the interior of Riddle Manor. Severus was kneeling in front of a high-backed chair. Voldemort sat in the chair with Nagini next to him.

"In all my years, I would have never expected this from you, Severus," he hissed and stroked Nagini. Silence filled the room once more. Harry saw the complete desperation on the sallow man's face.

"So, you'll spare her then, Milord?" Severus said, forcing his voice to stay steady but a slight tremble was there. Voldemort nodded slightly but he spoke with coldness.

"As you are one of my most devoted followers, I will spare the Mudblood's life for you, but I will kill the boy," Voldemort said. Severus bowed lower to the man.

"Thank you, Milord. I am ever gracious for your mercy," Severus said as he stood. The memory quickly changed to a place that was covered in rubble and glass. Harry stopped for a moment when he saw his own father dead on the floor. It tore at his heart so much but it was the sound of a small child crying that brought him to his senses. He walked toward the sound to find Severus in what was left of the nursery cradling his mother's limp body in his arms. Sobs left the man as he buried his head into the woman's hair. Harry stood there, watching the scene unfolding before him. His eyes grew moist as he felt the other man's pain of losing his love.

The heart-wrenching scene gave away to another. Harry now stood by Dumbledore's desk. Severus entered, looking most perturbed about being there. Harry could understand the feeling to an extent.

"You summoned me, Headmaster?" Severus asked the elder man. Dumbledore smiled and gestured to the chair. Severus sat down, awaiting what the headmaster had to say.

"Severus, you have served me quite loyally the past few years. I'm impressed," Albus started. He walked around his desk to where Fawkes sat on his perch. There was a pause for a few moments. "You have gone beyond what I have asked of you in many things."

"It depends on what you consider 'beyond'," Severus said coolly. Dumbledore chuckled softly to himself. Dumbledore stroked Fawkes's head in a content manner.

"There is something I need to ask of you," Dumbledore said, watching the man's reaction. Harry saw Severus remain emotionless.

"Which is?" Snape asked impatiently. Dumbledore returned to his desk, his expression was more solemn.

"You know of Nathan and Lucretia Biggs's daughter?" Dumbledore questioned the potions master, while peering over his spectacles at him. Severus remained unspoken for a few seconds and then answered.

"I do. But she is a bit isolated," Severus answered, without much emotion. "Why do you ask?" he inquired. Dumbledore stroked his beard as he continued to study the man.

"I have come across some interesting information about the girl and I find it curious that after four years of receiving her letter why she is not here," Dumbledore explained. Severus folded his arms across his chest.

"What does this have to do with me, Albus?" Severus asked pointedly. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"I felt it would be best if you were the one who got Shantiel to bring her here," Albus said, as if he were expecting some kind of reaction. Severus shifted in his seat. Harry could sense the unseen annoyance bubbling up inside of him.

"And why do you feel that I would be best for that task?" Severus asked, slightly irked by the mere thought.

"You know her parents through your past. And you could more easily convince them to allow the girl to come to school," Albus said. Severus made a barely audible grunting noise.

"There's something else, isn't there?" the younger man said with suspicion. The headmaster sighed as he walked to the window.

"Indeed. There has been a second part to the prophecy. Somehow, I suspect that it pertains to Shantiel. I'm not entirely sure how, yet," he said, grimly. "But I must have her here under my protection and observance. If I am right, she and Harry might have to do more than what should be expected of anybody, and at any age." Severus stood up finally, his anger passed its boiling point.

"So, you want her here so you can prepare those—_children_—like pigs for slaughter?" Severus yelled as he marched to the door. "She is better off where she is, if that is the case!" But Dumbledore stopped him by his query.

"I see." Then the headmaster looked pointedly into Severus's eyes. "Then why does it matter to you so much if they die? I thought you'd quit caring," Dumbledore said. "Maybe you have grown fond of the boy after all these years?" Severus looked at him, slightly outraged by what Albus had said. "You have protected him."

"It has been for _her_," Severus almost shouted at the man. He raised his wand threateningly and Harry expected some kind of attack on Dumbledore. He was taken aback when he saw a silver wisp come out of the potion professor's wand. A silver doe took form and galloped across the room before fading away.

Dumbledore looked at him in surprise but his voice strong, "So, after all this time, Severus?" He asked in astonishment. Harry could see and understand what was there in Severus's eyes.

"Always," Severus said with deepest conviction. The memory ended and things slowly returned to Dumbledore's current office. Harry stood in silence as he gripped either side of the basin. His mind was unsuccessfully trying to process what he had just witnessed. Now he truly understood why Severus Snape had done what he did.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said quietly, before he finally faced the man. Dumbledore nodded in response as mutual understanding flowed between them.

* * *

Numbed by the overwhelming noise in his head, Harry left the office. Everything made perfect sense now. Despite all odds…Severus had grown closer to Rome the past few months. He had seen himself within the young vampire. It was the very reason he had wanted to make sure Harry did everything he could to become mortal once more.

Harry found himself back in Hogwarts Hospital Wing. He entered, now knowing what he had to do. He saw the covered body in the last bed by the wall. It would be disrespectful to not give Severus the proper respect he deserved. He stood by the side, looking down at the figure. Everything Harry and Severus both did in life was either for love or because of love. Both rejected and lied to their truest loves, thinking it was necessary. Both risked everything in hope of regaining it all. Sadly, Severus never did—but he was still willing to risk that much for Harry to be able to do so. Respect and admiration filled Harry from the inside. He gave his unspoken promise to Severus: Harry would continue to ensure that he and the people to mattered most to him would make it through.

Every ounce of hatred and resentment toward the potions master vanished from Harry's heart. He wiped his eyes, he couldn't help it now. His soul was overflowing. And he would be forever grateful.

Harry felt another presence nearby and looked up to see Shan standing at the foot of the bed. Her eyes read the same sympathetic sadness as his did. She merely smiled and stepped up to him. He embraced her tightly. The couple remained there in respective silence.

"Thank you, Severus. I owe you everything," Harry finally spoke with full gratitude.

* * *

It took two weeks for some of the destroyed parts of the school to be repaired from the war. The fallen remained in the Hospital Wing for families to mourn loved ones and make arrangements. Harry, Hermione, and Shan stayed with the Weasleys in respected consolation. Ginny had not only been Hermione and Shan's best friend but like a surrogate sister. It was difficult for Harry to see his family in so much pain. Dumbledore decided to wait to hold the memorial for those who so deserved the proper honor until Harry was well enough to attend.

The young man's mind turned to what the others had told him regarding what Severus had done for them. He had a greater respect for the man he thought he once hated. Harry reflected back to what Severus had told him in the church weeks ago. He now understood what he had meant. Severus had known the young man's internal battle—the fear of what was then presented to him. The risk of losing one's self yet again…in order to regain it back, plus more. The potions master managed to convince Rome, that deep down…the risk was worth it.

Harry walked with the others into the courtyard where all of the trees bore a colored ribbon of each house of those who had died. A beautiful marble memorial stood before them. The names of each of the fallen staff and students were engraved on it. Each house had one of the four sides on the memorial. Slytherin was the first side that Harry and Shan saw. Beautiful white lilies adorned the foot of that side of the memorial. Harry set a lily in front of it with respect. Jayden Larsen was also among the Slytherins who had died. Ron explained how Jayden joined the D.A. with a group of other Slytherins. He had died saving a group of Gryffindor second years. Harry's past hatred for the Slytherin faded slightly. The Hufflepuff side of the memorial was next; Harry saw Justin Finch-Fletchley's name. Harry heard how he died trying to save a fellow Hufflepuff. With a sinking feeling, Harry went around to the Ravenclaw side of the stone and paused at Cho Chang's name. In effort to redeem herself from the last time she betrayed the D.A., she had sacrificed her life for Luna, Neville, and Seamus. He knew deep down Cho wasn't bad, she was just scared and lost in a way. Finally, they rounded the Gryffindor side of the memorial. Shan laid a yellow rose in front of it. Harry followed suit then he hugged Shantiel comfortingly as she wiped her eyes. Hermione and Ron also stood there for some time.

Finally, Harry made his way to the front of the rows of chairs where the Weasleys were sitting. Shantiel sadly looked at him and squeezed his hand in understanding. Dumbledore stepped up to the front of the onlookers up onto a marble dais. His face had profound sorrow yet the fire of pride burned from within his eyes. His voice confirmed it as he began, "Many precious lives were lost in the past two nights. While it is true they did their duty to this school, it is far more important they did what was right for their friends and families. These five truly represented what the founders intended for all students in this beloved fortress. It was always the ideal for all students to come together in unity instead of what Voldemort intended it to become," Dumbledore said, his eyes showing brightly. "Each house had been misjudged by our own human nature. Let us learn from our past mistakes, and learn from the actions of our loved ones who have passed on. Out of the ashes of this war, we can become better people, move forward and aspire to do ever more, for our futures and for each other," Dumbledore concluded. "Now, I leave time for those who wish to speak on the behalf of those we are honoring today and always."

A wave of silence followed the headmaster as he stepped down. Everybody was caught up in his or her own thoughts over what had been said. What was originally a long pause stretched on into interminable silence. Suddenly, Harry felt an overwhelming urge to say something…to fill the silence. They just needed a little encouragement from a friend, a peer, an equal. Harry honestly owed it to those who had died. Slowly, he stood, making his way up to the front. He felt every eye on him. He felt a lump in his throat but he spoke.

"Professor Dumbledore is right. For so long, most of us believed in the stereotypes of each house. Sure, we'd see differences, but we wrote them off as meaningless of inconsequential. I know now if I had chosen Slytherin over Gryffindor, it wouldn't have changed who I am because of that fact." Harry paused, knowing what he was about to say could be misconstrued. But he felt it had to be said. "Even as a vampire, I refused to change who I was, inside, for that very reason. Should I have had to live a life that was pre-destined for me by other people?" Harry shook his head vehemently. "No, of course not. Severus Snape risked everything for me to be able to be with my family and friends again," pausing a second time, Harry willed the catch in his throat to subside and looked down. Just when the emotional intensity threatened to overwhelm him, someone stood beside him and gently held his hand. He glanced to the side and smiled at Shantiel gratefully. At last, he was able to continue on, "For the past seven years, I thought I knew what kind of man he was. But he proved me wrong over this entire year. I had no idea just how much he had risked until now. To me, that makes him one of the bravest men I ever knew," Harry finished and meant to stand down from the podium. Suddenly, in the back, a single person started applauding. One by one people started clapping and standing. It wasn't long before everyone was standing and applauding the young man.

What surprised Harry the most is that each family of those who were being remembered came up to him. Not only that, but they thanked him for what he had said and how much they respected him for what he had done, and all that he had gone through.

Harry's faith in wizard-kind was renewed once again. He looked at the blonde girl standing next to him, "I'm so proud of you," she said softly with a smile.


	32. A Lover's Amends

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:**

**A LOVER'S AMENDS**

_**Some time after Shan's graduation...**_**  
**

The couple had taken off into the forest as narrow streamers of sunlight cut through the canopy of trees above them. Harry pulled the curious young woman's hand, but Shantiel couldn't help feeling like this had already happened…some sort of déjà vu'. Their destination was unknown to her.

"Harry, where are we going?" Shantiel inquired of the young man.

"You'll see in a minute," Harry said, smiling excitedly. "I want to show you something." He continued to walk deeper into the heart of the forest, but after going a few more yards, Harry stopped

Shantiel was about to ask for the second time where they were going, when Harry pulled her through a thicket of low branches. An opening of light appeared and there beyond the trees stood the most beautiful cascading waterfall the blonde girl had ever seen, which caused her to gasp as it took her very breath away. She felt the tranquility and beauty wash over her, but it all somehow seemed so familiar to her… Harry led her to the side of the lake where a picnic sat. Harry sat beside her on the blanket.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Harry asked, grinning as he looked at her awe-struck face.

"It's absolutely amazing. Harry…how did you find this place…? It's almost like heaven…" the young woman replied.

"Looks so much different in the sunlight than moonlight, doesn't it?" Harry said, his eyes still watching her.

She looked at him inquiringly, what was he talking about…of course she had never been here before.

"This is the place where I was Rome… When you came to..." He ran his hand through his hair and paused painfully. "This is where… I told you…I didn't love you anymore…" Harry finished with his voice cracking slightly. The mere memory of that night caused a catch in his throat.

"Harry…" Shantiel said. He heard the understanding tone in her voice. He took both of her hands and stood in front of her. She looked at his saddened face. "I know exactly why you did it…"

"You do?" Harry questioned in mild disbelief.

The blonde girl nodded and went on, "Yes, and it was absolutely the most perfect decision you could have made. In my grief of missing you…I had not been thinking clearly. Ever since Pandora explained to me what happened with you that night, I still can't fathom, despite all your illness and isolation, how you could possibly have known to make that ironclad decision for the both of us…in spite of all of your pain and loss." She lowered her eyes and blinked rapidly, and then returned her gaze back towards the young man. "Because of what you did, Harry…you not only saved me from you, but protected me from myself and a fate worse than death. I wanted you to know that although you had to lie, your decision was never once the wrong choice. Painful, devastating…yes. But never wrong."

Harry looked at her, feeling overwhelmed by emotions of gratitude. His eyes misted over and he said, "I don't think I deserve you." He lowered his head and sighed in mild annoyance, mumbling sheepishly, "It wasn't supposed to happen like this…not yet, anyway."

"How do you mean? What wasn't supposed to be what way yet?" Shantiel said, tilting her head in confusion.

A shy smile spread across the young man's face as he said, "I wanted this beautiful place to have beautiful memories associated with it...and push aside bad ones…" Then he quickly stood up as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket. Suddenly, he started trembling as he looked down at Shantiel and back at the box. He couldn't believe he was actually going through with this! His shaky hands were having trouble opening the box. The box slipped out of his hands and accidentally dropped onto Shantiel's lap. Harry closed his eyes and mumbled under his breath, "Idiot!"

Shantiel looked from the box up to Harry in disbelief. Without warning, Harry knelt down in front of her, but his foot got caught on the hem of his robe, resulting in him nearly falling over sideways. He regained his balance and felt himself turning Weasley red as he glanced up at Shantiel's face to find she was still gaping at him.

_Oh great going, Harry! She probably thinks you are the biggest lout on the face of the earth!_ Harry mentally scolded himself for his clumsiness.

At last, Harry managed to open the box. He nearly dropped it again as he leaned forward and took one of Shantiel's hands in one of his own.

"Shan," he began sheepishly, "hopefully this isn't in indicator of how our life spent together will be. Because...'cause I...I can't imagine living without you. It nearly destroyed me the time I had to. So...erm…what I want to say is...though our times together have been less than perfect…will you...will you please marry me?"

In response, Shantiel sank down to the ground with him, fell into his arms, and started weeping softly.

Now feeling completely dismayed, Harry could only conclude that he had upset her. So with his heart starting to break he said into her hair, "I'm sorry, I don't want you to be sad…you...you don't have to say yes...if-if you d-don't want to...

"Don't want to!" Shantiel shouted in jubilation.

_She's only trying to let you down easy._ He coaxed himself in silence. "All right...if...if you want to say no-" he somberly replied.

"YES!" Shantiel exclaimed by doing so further convincing Harry that she didn't have any intentions of spending her life with him.

The young man now looked as if he were blinking back tears as he stood and stuttered. "F-fine then. I-I'll just gather our things and we'll be off-"

"NO!" shouted his would-be fiancée, adding onto the poor young man's confusion. "We can't go. I want to stay here with you!"

"B-but I thought you said-"

"I said _no _to leaving, but _yes _to marrying you, you prat!" Shantiel said exasperatedly. Harry froze, his arms around Shantiel's waist, and he stared into her eyes with awe-struck wonder.

"Really?" he asked, as if he'd always expected her to say no. The look on his face was such a precious mix of hopefulness and dejection that Shantiel nearly started weeping again.

Instead she took the overpowering moment as the excuse to shower her love with tender kisses all over his face. "Of _course_-" kiss, "-I'm-" kiss, "-serious," kiss, kiss, kiss. "I'm only—" kiss on the temple, "-laughing and crying-" trail of kisses across his forehead, "-since you've just made me-" kissing all over cheeks, "the happiest girl in the universe!" Then she let him know exactly how she felt about his proposal by wordlessly letting him slide the ring on her finger.

"Mrs. Shantiel Potter," the blonde said aloud gleefully, examining the ring on her hand with Harry looking on. And she thought _she_ was the happy one! Harry could have sung!

He gazed at the girl's hand while looking over her shoulder and said softly, "I'm going to say this now, since I'll probably never be able to get away with saying it again...but you, milady, certainly do know how to keep a man on his toes. So…it's time I return the favor!" Before the girl could respond, he'd swiftly stepped around her, grasped her waist in both arms and spun her around until he couldn't see straight. They fell to the grass next to the picnic blanket totally breathless and laughing so hard from sheer joy that tears were streaming from their eyes.

Shantiel again looked at her new ring, all the surroundings, finally turning to Harry and stating, "But I've got nothing for you."

He just grinned broadly, shook his head, and replied, "I wouldn't ever call this _'nothing'_," and he placed his hand over her heart, and sealed his declaration with a lingering kiss.

* * *

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much to those of you who read this story. DJ Vivian and I appreciate it more than we can ever express. We certainly hope you enjoyed it. After spending so many years of our lives working on both this story and The Prophecy Renewed, it is a wonderful feeling to be able to "close the book" on this chapter in our lives. I can't hardly believe that DJ Vivian and I have managed to write two 86,000-word novels together! We wish you good luck in everything you do and hope you stick around to read the other stories posted here.

Sincerely,

Rae Carson and DJ Vivian =]


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